Dear Reader,
Here’s something you should know about your bones… I’ve been suspicious of the common use of drugs for bone density. You may have read my ranting about this issue… Now, the most prescribed drug to treat osteoporosis has been found to have potentially deadly side effects!
What’s more, your doctor may never tell you there are perfectly safe, natural ways to boost your bone density.
Today, I’ll tell you about the newly discovered dangers are and how you can improve your bone density without drugs.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that as many as 44 million Americans have lost bone density. Yet most doctors don’t understand the fundamental causes of osteoporosis. The result is a lot of wrongheaded advice… and the common use of a class of drugs that can kill.
Two research reports published in the New England Journal of Medicine found a link between both Fosamax and Reclast and a dangerous irregular heart rhythm. (1.8 million American women are already taking Fosamax.) This condition, called “atrial fibrillation,” may be lethal especially for people already at risk of stroke.1
So what can you do to strengthen your bones without drugs and their harmful side effects?
In women, a decline in levels of certain key hormones is the root of the problem. Estrogen is the main regulator of bone breakdown. Progesterone regulates bone build-up. And the most powerful bone-builder of all is testosterone.
Levels of all these hormones decline as you age, resulting in decreased bone strength, lower levels of calcium in the bone, and increased risk of breakage.
But like all age-related physical changes, they are easily reversible. Here’s a simple 6-step process to reverse the effects of osteoporosis:
• Exercise: The best to increase bone density and reduce fractures is body weight exercises (like calisthenics) and resistance training. Make a habit of doing these exercises two or three times a week. Thirty minutes of walking a day will lower your risk of fracture by thirty percent.2
When you exercise, your muscles pull on your bones. This pressure creates a challenge that your body responds to by increasing bone density. This will ensure that you stay mobile and independent.
• Skip calcium supplements and get your calcium in your diet: Eat a variety of small fish, dark, leafy green vegetables, almonds and cashews, or dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. You should be aiming for about 400 mg per day.
• Take a vitamin D supplement: I recommend 400 IU per day. It helps your body absorb calcium and maintain bone density. Without vitamin D, calcium supplements are worthless! The best source of vitamin D is the sun – 10 to 15 minutes of exposure a day should be enough. During the winter, take cod liver oil. It’s by far the best supplemental source of vitamin D.
• Get vitamin K in your greens: It regulates calcium while stabilizing bones in addition to regulating blood clotting. Eat at least one serving of green vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, Brussels sprouts or broccoli every day. One study found people eating just 0.1 milligrams of vitamin K daily (about one large serving of greens) were 30% less likely to break their hips than people who ate less than that amount.
• Eat foods rich in B-complex vitamins: Your body also uses a variety of B vitamins in bone building. The best sources are liver, eggs, lean meats, yeast, fish, raw nuts, asparagus, broccoli and bananas.
• Get a blood test: A simple blood test will tell you how your hormone levels affect your bone health. This is the best way to determine the health of your bones and your risk for fracture. Women may need to take natural progesterone. For both men and women testosterone is the most powerful controller of your bone density. To arrange for your own blood test, talk to your doctor. Or contact Quest Diagnostics at 1-800-377-8448 for a location near you. If you can get to Florida, call my office at 561-784-7852.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
1 D. M. Black et al, “Once-Yearly Zoledronic Acid for Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis” New England Journal of Medicine, 356 (2007):1809-1822 and Steven R. Cummings et al, “Alendronate and Atrial Fibrillation” New England Journal of Medicine, 356 (2007):1895-1896.
2 Willett W. Calcium: too much of a good thing? Report from the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Roundtable.