In line with the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies, round 10 million folks over the age of fifty have osteoporosis. A further 43 million have low bone mineral density, placing them in danger for full-blown osteoporosis.1 This can be a regarding quantity of people that have compromised skeletal well being, as osteoporosis will increase your danger of main fractures.
Recognizing the Indicators of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is known as the “silent illness” as a result of it would not current any signs till you endure a fracture.2 However because it progresses, you will discover gradual adjustments in your physique that point out lack of skeletal rigidity:3
|
Lowering peak |
Rounded shoulders |
Creating hump on the again |
|
Head begins to protrude ahead |
Intermittent or fixed higher, center and/or decrease again ache |
Noticeable adjustments in physique form |
What causes this silent illness to happen within the first place? As you age, your physique breaks down bone tissue sooner than it replenishes,4 and this course of is influenced by numerous elements. Examples embrace your weight loss plan (whether or not you are getting the suitable minerals or not), stage of bodily exercise, hormonal adjustments and any medicines you take. Unhealthy habits resembling smoking and heavy alcohol consumption have an effect on your bone well being, too.5
Medical doctors usually suggest a bone density scan when you might have a household historical past of osteoporosis, or should you’re over 50 years outdated.6 The commonest technique of figuring out osteoporosis is a DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan, which measures bone mineral density. Nonetheless, as I’ve famous in my latest article “The Nice Osteoporosis Rip-off,” as soon as osteoporosis is identified, docs will usually prescribe medication that do extra hurt than good.
The Downside with Osteoporosis Medication
When a physician confirms an osteoporosis prognosis, the usual remedy is a prescription for bisphosphonates (Fosamax or Actonel), which inhibit osteoclasts (cells that break down bone).7 Whereas the intention is nice, there are two main issues:
- Bisphosphonates will disrupt your physique’s bone-building course of, ensuing within the preservation of “outdated bone” relatively than selling wholesome bone formation via pure strategies (extra on this later)
- Bisphosphonates have unwanted effects,8 such extreme musculoskeletal ache
For those who have been to take bisphosphonates, you will in all probability see an enchancment in your DEXA scan rating. However that will not deal with the foundation reason for osteoporosis and will not contribute to the long-term enchancment of your bone mineral density.
Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), a category of medication designed to alleviate heartburn signs, are some of the generally pharmaceuticals in the USA,9 they usually contribute to the ever-growing osteoporosis epidemic as nicely. Loads of printed analysis have proven that PPIs negatively have an effect on bone density by:
- Inducing hypochlorhydria (a state the place manufacturing of hydrochloric acid manufacturing is absent or very low), which inhibits calcium absorption10
- Dysregulating bone resorption, which is important for wholesome bone11
- Intestine microbiome alterations leading to altered mineral absorption12
- Inflicting hypomagnesemia (low magnesium)13
Analysis reveals that PPIs additionally have an effect on bone well being by affecting collagen synthesis. As famous in a 2020 examine printed within the Frontiers in Endocrinology:14
“PPIs may very well goal the ECM [extracellular matrix] basically and members of the collagen household specifically to affect bone pathophysiology together with rising the chance of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures …”
The Interaction Between Calcium and Vitamin D
In the case of selling bone well being, it is vital to start out on the supply — addressing nutrient deficiencies that contribute to weakened bones. An incredible place to begin is rising calcium, since virtually 98% of this mineral current in your physique is present in your bones.
Your physique continually wants calcium as a result of your bones repeatedly rework themselves.15 So, how a lot calcium does your physique want? Listed here are the beneficial intakes, in keeping with the Workplace of Dietary Dietary supplements:16
| Age | Male | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to six months | 200 mg | 200 mg |
| 7 to 12 months | 260 mg | 260 mg |
| 1 to three years | 700 mg | 700 mg |
| 4 to eight years | 1,000 mg | 1,000 mg |
| 9 to 13 years | 1,300 mg | 1,300 mg |
| 14 to 18 years | 1,300 mg | 1,300 mg |
| 19 to 50 years | 1,000 mg | 1,000 mg |
| 51 to 70 years | 1,000 mg | 1,200 mg |
| Over 70 years | 1,200 mg | 1,200 mg |
The perfect sources of calcium are milk and dairy merchandise, ideally from grass fed cows. Yogurt, cheese and kefir are nice decisions. Ingesting uncooked milk by itself is one other nice possibility.
One other very important piece of the equation is optimizing your vitamin D ranges. Analysis has proven that vitamin D performs a task in serving to with calcium absorption, and that boosting vitamin D ranges helps enhance bone mineral density.17
The easiest way to spice up vitamin D ranges is by getting common daylight publicity, ideally throughout photo voltaic midday when UVB rays are at their peak. To be sure you’re on the suitable path, have your blood examined too. For optimum well being, purpose for a variety between 60 ng/mL and 80 ng/mL of vitamin D in your blood.
However earlier than you exit for some daylight, there are caveats that it’s worthwhile to take into account. For instance, should you’ve been consuming a weight loss plan excessive in linoleic acid (LA), then it is not secure so that you can exit at peak midday.
When daylight hits your pores and skin, it can oxidize and break down the LA embedded there, inflicting irritation and DNA harm. Excessive LA consumption is usually the trigger should you burn quickly. The logical method is to drastically scale back the LA in your physique, which takes as much as six months. Goal for a day by day LA consumption of lower than 5 grams. If you may get under 2 grams, that is even higher.
Throughout this transition interval, restrict your solar publicity to early morning or late afternoon. To guard your pores and skin, I additionally suggest taking:
• Niacinamide — Also referred to as nicotinamide, a type of vitamin B3, will assist towards DNA harm attributable to ultraviolet mild publicity.
• Low-dose aspirin — Taking a small quantity of aspirin 30 to 60 minutes earlier than going beneath the solar helps stop LA from turning into oxidized linoleic acid metabolites (OXLAMs), a major contributor to irritation and illness.
• Molecular hydrogen — This potent molecule reduces oxidative stress by eliminating dangerous free radicals all through your system.
Do not Overlook Magnesium and Vitamin K2
Rounding out the vitamins wanted to fight osteoporosis are magnesium and vitamin K2. Analysis has proven that magnesium deficiency results in brittle, fragile bones that result in microfractures. Furthermore, magnesium is required to stimulate osteoblastic exercise, and it influences skeletal homeostasis regulators — parathyroid hormone and vitamin D.18
As for vitamin K2, research have proven that it promotes osteogenic differentiation. In different phrases, it directs your physique to advertise extra wholesome bone formation as a substitute of failure. It additionally promotes osteoclastic resorption by suppressing osteoclast exercise.19
Now that the significance of magnesium and vitamin K2, what are the very best dietary sources? For magnesium, very best sources embrace greens, resembling spinach, broccoli and carrots.20
In the meantime, vitamin K2 is present in fermented meals resembling sauerkraut, kefir, cheese and yogurt.21 For an in-depth rationalization of the beneficial dosages for every nutrient (calcium, vitamin D and K2, and magnesium) for optimum outcomes, learn my article “Is Magnesium the Lacking Hyperlink in Your Coronary heart Wholesome Routine?“
Bones Additionally Want Protein, Particularly Collagen
Amino acids, that are synthesized into protein, kind the constructing blocks of your physique. Whereas most individuals consider protein by way of muscle constructing, your total physique makes use of it not directly, together with your bones. In reality, the human skeleton accommodates loads of protein, notably collagen for its elasticity.
Enough collagen gives your bones “cushion,” serving to them bend and yield to exterior forces as a substitute of fracturing. As famous in a examine printed in Journal of Frailty, Sarcopenia & Falls:22
“Collagen and a wide range of noncollagenous proteins kind the natural matrix of bone, so an enough dietary protein consumption would appear to be important for optimum acquisition and upkeep of grownup bone mass.”
For optimum bone well being, you want a stability of muscle meat and collagen amino acids. Crimson meat accommodates little or no of the health-promoting amino acids (highlighted in inexperienced), which signifies that relying solely on muscle meat might be inadequate for constructing robust connective tissues and sustaining bone energy.
Moreover, whereas the three major amino acids in collagen are related to anti-inflammatory and different well being advantages, these discovered abundantly in crimson meat (highlighted in crimson) promote irritation.
I like to recommend you get one-third of your protein consumption from collagen or gelatin as a result of solely specializing in meat alone could have a unfavourable impact in your bone well being. As famous in a examine printed in Proceedings of the Diet Society,23 “It’s recognized that calcium excretion might rise with elevated protein consumption suggesting a detriment to bone mass.”
The easiest way to get extra collagen into your weight loss plan is by making bone broth from natural grass fed animal bones. Sluggish-cooking or strain cooking extra gelatinous cuts of meat are an alternative choice, as are collagen and gelatin dietary supplements.
The Impression Induced Throughout Train Strengthens Your Bones
Most individuals are conscious that train helps increase your total health and even lowers your danger of most cancers, diabetes and heart problems.24 Train can also be a foundational strategy to strengthen your bones. As famous in a 2022 examine printed in Frontiers in Immunology,25 train reveals a constructive impact on osteoporosis. Particularly, the influence felt by your bones causes them to adapt, rework and strengthen themselves:
“Mechanical forces utilized to bone tissue induce the motion of interstitial fluid alongside tubules and bone cell pores, thereby inflicting cell-level shear stress and deformation of bone cell plasma membrane. These adjustments result in the start of the bone transforming course of and stimulate bone resorption and formation cycles,” the examine authors famous.
The researchers famous that resistance coaching, in addition to cardio coaching, positively advantages bone density by stimulating hormonal reactions to advertise stronger bone reformation.26 Along with these two, you additionally should take note of the depth of the workouts you do. In line with one other examine,27 train should be dynamic, and inserting a load (resembling weights) generates forces that may have a powerful and constant constructive impact on bone improvement.
KAATSU Improves Bone Density With out Lifting Heavy Weights
Whereas energy coaching could be dangerous for the aged and people with already brittle bones, there is a strategy to circumvent this danger. Blood circulate restriction coaching, notably the KAATSU technique, lets you get the advantages of resistance train with out the necessity for heavy weights.
KAATSU works by proscribing blood circulate in your extremities in cycles, which creates intermittent hypoxia. This leads to the manufacturing of anti-inflammatory myokines that construct muscle energy whereas lifting lighter weights, which is a giant profit for individuals who have decrease mineral density and want to ease into exercising. In my interview with Steven Munatones, an skilled KAATSU practitioner, he explains the way it works:
“KAATSU cycle is mainly a really intelligent biohack that may permit the muscle groups to work and permit the vascular tissue to turn into extra elastic. You do not understand the ache of heavy lifting, however your vascular tissue and muscle fibers are being labored out simply as successfully, and you are able to do it for an extended time period.”
Furthermore, KAATSU will assist increase bone mineral density, and this profit has been documented in research. In a single instance, printed in Frontiers in Physiology,28 researchers noticed contributors who carried out BFR coaching for six weeks.
After the check interval was full, outcomes revealed that even at low depth, BFR stimulated acute bone formation biomarkers. In one other examine,29 researchers famous that low-intensity BFR train was simply as efficient as high-intensity train in decreasing biomarkers of bone destruction.
So, how do you incorporate KAATSU into your train routine? Merely put on the KAATSU bands whereas figuring out, both with or with out weights. For added info, learn my article “The best way to Keep Match for Life.” You may discover an in-depth rationalization of how KAATSU works, in addition to particular workouts that benefit from this wonderful train innovation.
Combine Up Your Train Routine with a Vibration Plate
Along with train and KAATSU, one other means of combatting osteoporosis is whole-body vibration (WBV) remedy. Primarily, it is a technique whereby vibrations are despatched all through your physique in small, managed doses. This causes constructive results in your physique, together with elevated bone mineral density. In a 2022 meta-analysis30 of 14 randomized managed trials, researchers famous that WBV remedy exhibited constructive results on sufferers with knee osteoarthritis (OA):
“Meta-analysis confirmed that low-frequency and high-frequency whole-body vibration had further constructive results in contrast with strengthening workouts alone on ache, knee extensor muscle energy, and bodily perform in people with knee OA. Entire-body vibration with strengthening workouts could be integrated into remedy protocols.”
One other meta-analysis31 printed comparable outcomes. Right here, researchers confirmed that WBV remedy boosts bone mineral density in postmenopausal ladies and reduces the chance of bone fractures in wholesome adults. Aged individuals who intend to make use of a vibration plate to handle their osteoporosis will even get pleasure from different advantages, resembling elevated cognition.32
For a more in-depth look into the mechanisms and historical past behind WBV remedy, learn my article “Make the most of the Energy of Vibrations to Promote Wellness.” There, I additionally talk about workouts which can be completed on a vibration plate, in addition to tips about how to decide on the very best product on your wants.