Naturopathic
Fun Facts:
Why Calcium Alone Won’t Cut Risk for Osteoporosis
In
this week’s blog on my main site, I discussed the importance of individualized
nutrition. A common misconception is the sole use of calcium for base supplement to improve bone density. This can lead to imbalance in the body, as
there are so many other factors including: acid-base balance, absorption,
cofactors, and overall mineral status.
Dr.
Mercola addressed this concern in one of his highlighted articles below:
It has been estimated, however, that your
body excretes as little as 100 mg a day, making the current recommendations by
the National Osteoporosis Foundation for women over 50 to take 1,200 mg a day a
bit troubling. When we compare our calcium-rich diet to the traditional
calcium-poor Chinese peasant diet, which was free of cow’s milk and calcium
supplements, approximately 250 mg a day of plant-based calcium was all that was
needed to fulfill their bodily needs – and this is a culture with no word for
“osteoporosis” in its 3,000+ year old language!
Due to the fact that about 99 percent of your
body’s calcium is stored in your bones and teeth, if you don’t get enough
calcium, your body will use the calcium reserves in your bones to perform vital
metabolic functions. This is where the idea that supplementing with calcium
could prevent calcium loss from your bones comes from — but it is an overly
simplified theory that lacks solid evidence to back it up, especially in
Western, modernized cultures, which consume unprecedentedly large amounts of
dairy-derived, fortification-based and supplemental calcium.
The truth is that taking any calcium in
excess or isolation, without complementary nutrients like magnesium, vitamin D
and vitamin K2, which help keep your body in balance, can have adverse effects,
such as calcium building up in coronary arteries and inducing heart attacks.
Even taking calcium with vitamin D does not appear to be sufficient to
prevent these types of adverse effects.
Source:
Mercola. J. New Studies on 3 Important Nutrients. Mercola.com. July 11 2012. Accessed at Mercola.com
How to Decrease Your Risk for Post-Menopausal Bone Loss
Dr.
Susan Brown is a medical anthropologist who is an expert in bone health. She discusses the key factors in optimizing bone health Post-menopause in her
BetterBones blog:
As an anthropologist, I find it fascinating
to study the ways that the different cultures around the world view and react
to menopause. In fact, many see menopause as new phase of empowerment, freedom,
and wisdom. We have much to learn from these cultures!
I use a lot of their knowledge in my new
video “Tips for building bone health during early post-menopause”, which
includes a combination of the following strategies:
• Taking care of yourself
• Exercising with an eye toward building bone
mass
• Reinforcing your nutrition and supplement
program
Listen
to her 4 minute blog for more information at the link below.
Source:
Brown, S. Tips for building bone health during early post-menopause. The Better
Bones Blog. Accessed July 2012.
