Supplements to Help Prevent Osteoporosis

Bone density drugs, as I discussed in a previous blog, can do more harm than good. In addition to making healthy lifestyle changes, you can also try the following supplements for bone health.

Supplement Your Diet

Several vitamin and mineral supplements can be helpful both in the prevention and reversal of osteoporosis.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is required to absorb calcium from the small intestine. Deficiency can come about when there is reduced exposure to sunlight, decreased dietary intake, or a malabsorption problem of one kind or another. Supplementation of 5,000 IU or more daily is recommended for both prevention and treatment.

Vitamin K

The protein matrix upon which calcium crystallizes is called osteocalcin. Studies show that vitamin K is required by the body to make osteocalcin.

Other Vitamins

Several other vitamins are important for bone health. These include:

• Vitamin A

• Folic acid

• Vitamin B6

• Vitamin B12

• Vitamin C

A lack of these vitamins increases osteoporosis severity because they are required in numerous biochemical reactions in bone (connective) tissue.

Minerals

Many minerals are also required for biochemical reactions related to bone:

• Magnesium

• Manganese

• Boron

• Strontium

• Silicon

• Zinc

• Copper

Silicon, for example, is found in high concentrations in growing bone. It strengthens connective tissue and may be crucial in osteoporosis prevention.

Boron supplementation raises serum estrogen and testosterone levels. One study demonstrated that boron supplementation produced estrogen blood levels identical to estrogen-treated women whose diets were not supplemented with boron. Boron supplementation does not pose the same cancer-causing risks as synthetic estrogen replacement therapy (e.g., uterine or breast cancer). It is non-toxic. Unfortunately, many people are deficient in this mineral simply because of poor soil quality.

Several supplement companies make good combination bone-boosting formulas that contain the majority of these vitamins and minerals.

For Digestion and Absorption

People over 65 usually have a hard time with protein digestion and trace mineral absorption because of low secretion of stomach hydrochloric acid. This can be confirmed by a comprehensive stool and digestive analysis and hair mineral analysis.

If stomach acid deficiency is the problem, appropriate digestive aids (e.g., stomach bitters, apple cider vinegar, citric acid, betaine, and pepsin HCl, etc.) can be taken with most supplements based on the degree of hypoacidity.

Next time: natural alternatives to HRT for supporting bone health.