Osteoporosis

Did you know that more women die in the US from bone diseases than breast cancer? A fracture of the femur leads to immobility which many times ends up with pneumonia resulting in death. It is not exactly that we are calcium deficient that is causing the osteoporosis. Calcium is everywhere. In milk, in multis, in orange juice. The problem though is where the calcium ends up. This is more common as we age, the calcium ends up in the arteries instead of our bones. 

You see our bodies are constantly changing. The makeup of your bones and muscles is not the same as last year. Old cells are continuously being removed and replaced with new cells. Our bones are "replaced" every few months. So we need to make sure the calcium is still going to the bones. What was there a few weeks ago may already be gone. 

After menopause, women can lose bone mass at a rate of 20% in just around 6 years. Taking calcium supplements or drinking extra glasses of milk is not the answer. As we explained there is enough calcium out there, the real problem is that the calcium is being deposited in the wrong places. Drinking more milk will not help if this is not corrected, it will only lead to more calcium in the arteries. 

Exercise has been shown to positively affect bone density. Animal studies showed that sedentary living leads to breakdown of bone cells. So that is something to keep in mind. Also, taking 300 mg of magnesium daily may help. Magnesium activates the bone enzyme that forms new calcium crystals. Vitamin D is famous for preventing rickets-softening of the bones. So taking Vitamin D may help. 4000 IU is a good amount to take. 

Vitamin K is a big one here. That is K2. Take 10 mg daily if you can. If too expensive, take whatever you can. Manganese was fed to rats and shown to improve bone density when compared to manganese deficient rats. Boron may also be helpful. 

Let us know if have any other tips.