In keeping with the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers, round 10 million folks over the age of fifty have osteoporosis. An extra 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 threat of main fractures.

Recognizing the Indicators of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is known as the “silent illness” as a result of it does not current any signs till you endure a fracture.² However because it progresses, you will discover gradual modifications in your physique that point out lack of skeletal rigidity:³

Lowering top	Rounded shoulders	Growing hump on the again
Head begins to protrude ahead	Intermittent or fixed higher, center and/or decrease again ache	Noticeable modifications in physique form

What causes this silent illness to happen within the first place? As you age, your physique breaks down bone tissue quicker than it replenishes,⁴ and this course of is influenced by numerous components. Examples embody your food plan (whether or not you are getting the suitable minerals or not), stage of bodily exercise, hormonal modifications and any drugs you take. Unhealthy habits resembling smoking and heavy alcohol consumption have an effect on your bone well being, too.⁵

Docs usually advocate a bone density scan when you will have a household historical past of osteoporosis, or for those who’re over 50 years outdated.⁶ The commonest methodology of figuring out osteoporosis is a DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan, which measures bone mineral density. Nevertheless, as I’ve famous in my current article “The Nice Osteoporosis Rip-off,” as soon as osteoporosis is identified, medical doctors will usually prescribe medication that do extra hurt than good.

The Drawback with Osteoporosis Medication

When a physician confirms an osteoporosis prognosis, the usual therapy is a prescription for bisphosphonates (Fosamax or Actonel), which inhibit osteoclasts (cells that break down bone).⁷ Whereas the intention is sweet, there are two main issues:

• Bisphosphonates will disrupt your physique’s bone-building course of, ensuing within the preservation of “outdated bone” fairly than selling wholesome bone formation via pure strategies (extra on this later)
• Bisphosphonates have unintended effects,⁸ such extreme musculoskeletal ache

For those who have been to take bisphosphonates, you will most likely see an enchancment in your DEXA scan rating. However that will not deal with the foundation reason behind 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 one of the crucial generally pharmaceuticals in america,⁹ they usually contribute to the ever-growing osteoporosis epidemic as effectively. Loads of revealed 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 crucial 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 research revealed 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 terms of selling bone well being, it is necessary to begin on the supply — addressing nutrient deficiencies that contribute to weakened bones. A terrific place to begin is rising calcium, since virtually 98% of this mineral current in your physique is present in your bones.

Your physique always wants calcium as a result of your bones constantly rework themselves.¹⁵ So, how a lot calcium does your physique want? Listed below are the really useful intakes, in accordance 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 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 to’re on the proper path, have your blood examined too. For optimum well being, intention 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 is advisable contemplate. For instance, for those who’ve been consuming a food plan excessive in linoleic acid (LA), then it is not protected so that you can exit at peak midday.

When daylight hits your pores and skin, it’ll oxidize and break down the LA embedded there, inflicting irritation and DNA harm. Excessive LA consumption is commonly the trigger for those who 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 every 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 advocate taking:

Do not Neglect 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 an alternative of failure. It additionally promotes osteoclastic resorption by suppressing osteoclast exercise.¹⁹

Now that you realize the significance of magnesium and vitamin K2, what are the very best dietary sources? For magnesium, excellent sources embody 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 really useful 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, type the constructing blocks of your physique. Whereas most individuals consider protein by way of muscle constructing, your total physique makes use of it ultimately, together with your bones. In truth, the human skeleton comprises loads of protein, significantly collagen for its elasticity.

Sufficient collagen gives your bones “cushion,” serving to them bend and yield to exterior forces as an alternative of fracturing. As famous in a research revealed in Journal of Frailty, Sarcopenia & Falls:²²

“Collagen and quite a lot of noncollagenous proteins type the natural matrix of bone, so an ample 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 steadiness of muscle meat and collagen amino acids. Purple meat comprises little or no of the health-promoting amino acids (highlighted in inexperienced), which implies that relying solely on muscle meat might be inadequate for constructing sturdy connective tissues and sustaining bone energy.

Moreover, whereas the three main 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 can have a damaging impact in your bone well being. As famous in a research revealed in Proceedings of the Vitamin Society,²³ “It’s recognized that calcium excretion could rise with elevated protein consumption suggesting a detriment to bone mass.”

The easiest way to get extra collagen into your food plan is by making bone broth from natural grass fed animal bones. Sluggish-cooking or strain cooking extra gelatinous cuts of meat are another choice, as are collagen and gelatin dietary supplements.

The Influence Induced Throughout Train Strengthens Your Bones

Most individuals are conscious that train helps enhance your total health and even lowers your threat of most cancers, diabetes and heart problems.²⁴ Train can also be a foundational method to strengthen your bones. As famous in a 2022 research revealed in Frontiers in Immunology,²⁵ train reveals a optimistic impact on osteoporosis. Particularly, the impression 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 modifications result in the start of the bone transforming course of and stimulate bone resorption and formation cycles,” the research 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 keeping with one other research,²⁷ train have to be dynamic, and inserting a load (resembling weights) generates forces that may have a powerful and constant optimistic 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 method to circumvent this threat. Blood circulation restriction coaching, significantly the KAATSU methodology, permits you to get the advantages of resistance train with out the necessity for heavy weights.

KAATSU works by proscribing blood circulation 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 need 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 enable the muscular tissues to work and permit the vascular tissue to grow to be 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 enhance bone mineral density, and this profit has been documented in research. In a single instance, revealed in Frontiers in Physiology,²⁸ researchers noticed individuals who carried out BFR coaching for six weeks.

After the take a look at interval was full, outcomes revealed that even at low depth, BFR stimulated acute bone formation biomarkers. In one other research,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 understanding, both with or with out weights. For extra data, learn my article “The way to Keep Match for Life.” You will discover an in-depth rationalization of how KAATSU works, in addition to particular workouts that reap the benefits of this superb train innovation.

Combine Up Your Train Routine with a Vibration Plate

Along with train and KAATSU, one other approach of combatting osteoporosis is whole-body vibration (WBV) remedy. Basically, it is a methodology whereby vibrations are despatched all through your physique in small, managed doses. This causes optimistic 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 optimistic results on sufferers with knee osteoarthritis (OA):

“Meta-analysis confirmed that low-frequency and high-frequency whole-body vibration had extra optimistic results in contrast with strengthening workouts alone on ache, knee extensor muscle energy, and bodily operate in people with knee OA. Complete-body vibration with strengthening workouts could be included into therapy protocols.”

One other meta-analysis³¹ revealed 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 may also take pleasure in 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 recommendations on how to decide on the very best product on your wants.