Five Natural Steps to Help Prevent Osteoporosis
By Kiki Powers, M.S.

Osteoporosis is a major health concern today, affecting more than 25 million Americans, 80 percent of which are female. It is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue.

According to the American Osteoporosis Foundation, up to 1.3 million fractures occur annually as a result of this disease. The good news is that many osteoporosis risk factors are actually under our own control, enabling us to take action to prevent this debilitating health problem.

The first thing we can do is to learn about our risk factors, so we can take action for healthier bones.

Osteoporosis risk factors include:

  • Female gender
  • Caucasian or Asian ethnicity
  • Advanced age
  • Family history of the disease
  • Being thin and small boned
  • Being postmenopausal
  • Low estrogen levels
  • Low intake of calcium/key
    • minerals
  • Cigarette smoking
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • High animal protein diets
  • High intake of caffeine, sugar
    and salt

With this information, we can make lifestyle changes that may greatly reduce our risk of bone loss, as well as minimize further deterioration if we are already in a state of low bone density.

Here are five steps we can take to promote healthy bones right now:


Incorporate exercise

Among the most important bone building measures is weight bearing exercise, since it stimulates the bone
remodeling cycle.

At a minimum, we should be walking briskly for at least twenty minutes a day, three times per week. Working with weights, either in a gym or at home, offers extra bone-building benefits.


Scale back on refined sugar

In her book Super Nutrition for Menopause (Avery Publishing), Ann Louise Gittleman, M.S., C.N.S. points out that high sugar consumption may promote a number of health problems for women, including calcium

imbalance. Sugar depletes the body of phosphorous, which must be in balance with calcium for optimal calcium absorption.

Gittleman asserts that without adequate phosphorus for transport, bone marrow falls short on calcium, leading the body to pull the mineral from bone storage sites.

In addition, sugar depletes other key minerals, such as magnesium, chromium, zinc and copper, among others.


Curtail caffeine

Although many of us depend on
caffeine daily, we should be aware of the facts. Caffeine is clearly ranked among the primary risk factors for osteoporosis.

A 1990 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology indicated that caffeine increased urinary calcium loss, making it a risk factor for osteoporosis. The results showed that consuming more than two cups of coffee daily increased the risk of fracture.

According to a 1993 study in the Journal of Nutrition, caffeine consumption increased the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and chloride for at least three hours after consumption.

For this reason, consider having caffeinated beverages separately from your main meals, when you would also be likely to supplement multi-vitamin/mineral formulas.


 Minimize excessive protein

Excessive dietary protein, particularly animal protein, has been shown in numerous studies to promote calcium loss.

In his book, The Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements (Prima Publishing), Michael Murray,
N. D. emphasizes that diets high in protein are associated with increased excretion of calcium in the urine. In fact, raising daily protein from 47 to 142 grams doubles the rate of urinary calcium excretion.

Dr. Murray points out that a diet this high in protein is common in the United States, and may be a significant factor in the high number of Americans suffering from osteoporosis.

 

Take a complete multi-vitamin/ mineral formula

Many women, regardless of dietary choices, often don't obtain enough bone-building nutrients from food alone, and are advised to supplement calcium. However, calcium needs many nutrient helpers to promote healthy bones.

A comprehensive multi-vitamin/
mineral supplement offers the advantage of a wide range of other nutrients essential for proper calcium absorption and optimal bone health.

Among the most important of these is vitamin D, which can increase calcium absorption by up to 50 percent.

Magnesium is essential for the formation of a functional bone matrix, and helps to activate vitamin D. This is vital, since many women with poor bone health may be deficient in the active form of vitamin D.

Additionally, a 1980 study in the Journal of Nutrition confirmed the roles played by manganese, silicon, and vitamin K in constructing bone matrix, while zinc and copper enhance the effectiveness of vitamin D.

Boron helps to reduce calcium loss, and vitamin C helps the body build bone matrix and healthy connective tissue. These nutrients work collectively, not only for bone health, but they also play key roles for overall health.

Again, osteoporosis is largely preventable. According to Paul Lofholm, Pharm.D, FACA and Clinical Professor of Pharmacy at UCSF, women over 35 and men over 45 should get a baseline screening to determine their bone density.

A simple, but effective osteoporosis prevention plan should then follow. This would ideally encompass regular exercise, a reduction of caffeine and sugar, a balanced, moderate protein diet rich in fresh produce and supplementation with a complete multi-vitamin/mineral formula.

The bonus is that these beneficial changes help prevent numerous other diseases while fostering optimal bone health and overall wellness.