Our editors comb the news wires daily for the latest developments in the field of natural medicine, saving you the time of having to do that yourself. Just a quick scan of our News Bulletin post will bring you up to date regarding the latest news events on the health topic being discussed. Today’s topic is natural remedies for osteoporosis.

10 Key Vitamins and Minerals for Bone Health

Dr. David Brownstein, a Holistic Medicine Doctor and expert on natural therapies, explains in a recent article featured in Newsmax Health that utilizing natural remedies for osteoporosis treatment is superior to prescription drugs. Dr. Browstein reports that bisphosphonates – the standard drugs used to manage osteoporosis – actually poison the biochemistry of bones. He says that it makes more sense to restore your body’s bone biochemistry by using a combination of 10 key vitamins and minerals: 

• Vitamin D
• Vitamin K2
• Magnesium
• Boron
• Calcium
• Copper
• Manganese
• Strontium
• B Vitamins
• Vitamin C

When it Comes to Natural Remedies for Osteoporosis, Is Calcium The Most Important?

Duke Liberatore, CEO of Peachtree Natural Foods, and Jan McBarron, M.D., N.D., author of The Columbus Nutrition Program host a national radio talk show called “The Duke & the Doctor”. On the radio program, they urge listeners to make informed, intelligent decisions regarding their health by discussing alternative, natural solutions to risky prescription medications. They also write featured articles expounding on the latest natural therapies to treat a variety of conditions. In one recent article, Duke and the Doctor explained not all calcium is created equal! When incorporating calcium in your arsenal of natural remedies for osteoporosis prevention or treatment, remember that there are two forms of calcium: calcium citrate and calcium carbonate.

“Calcium Citrate is the more bioavailable form of calcium as it is absorbed well on an empty or a full stomach. In addition, people with low levels of stomach acid (a condition more common in people older than 50) may absorb this form of calcium more easily.”

“Calcium Carbonate is another form of calcium that also makes up products like chalk and sheet rock commonly used in building materials. This version of calcium is inexpensive but it may be more difficult for the body to absorb. When the body has difficulty absorbing calcium it may form deposits resulting in problems like bone spurs.”

So, which calcium should you purchase? When it comes to bone health, calcium citrate is best! The recommended dose for adults is 1,000 mg per day. Also, it’s important that you take your daily calcium supplement in divided doses – that is, with a meal and spread out over at least two meals. Clinical studies have shown that the body can only absorb 500 mg of calcium at a time so to take your full 1000 mg dose at one time would be just throwing your money down the drain.

Don’t forget that calcium is not the only nutrient necessary to promote healthy bones. In fact, it may not even be the most important one! Eating or supplementing with too much calcium in the absence of other nutrients may actually lead to osteoporosis, as well as kidney stones, plaque in the arteries or painful calcium deposits manifested as gout or arthritis. Therefore, calcium should always be teamed with other bone health nutrients – vitamin D3, magnesium, vitamin K2, boron and other key vitamins and minerals (listed above). A growing body of research suggests that each of these nutrients must be present in adequate amounts if bone loss is to be prevented and reversed.

Vitamin D Deficiency May Speed the Aging Process of Bone

Dr. Bjorn Busse and a team of medical researchers at the US Department of Energy and the University of California at Berkeley studied the link between vitamin D deficiency and bone health. They took bone samples from 30 participants; half of the participants were deficient in vitamin D and had early signs of softening of the bones (called osteomalacia). The researchers observed that vitamin D deficiency increased both the initiation and growth of cracks in bone tissue by between 22 and 31%. In an online news article by Arthritis Research, Professor Robert Ritchie (who lead the U.S. team) stated, “We’ve shown that low levels of vitamin D induce premature aging of existing bone.”

How do you know if YOU have a vitamin D deficiency?

To find out about the signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, how to get your vitamin D levels tested, and the best vitamin D supplements, read our article, 10 Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms That You Can Identify Yourself.