Reverse Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a progressive disease in which the bones gradually become weaker and weaker, causing changes in posture and making the individual extremely susceptible to bone fractures. The term osteoporosis, derived from Latin, literally means "porous bones." Because of the physiological, nutritional, and hormonal differences between males and females, osteoporosis affects many more women than men. However, men also suffer from bone loss, often as a side effect of certain medications, such as chemotherapy drugs, thyroid hormone, corticosteroids, and anticonvulsants, or as a result of other illnesses. Nearly half of all women and 25 percent of American men, between the ages of fifty and seventy-five show signs of some degree of osteopenia (low bone mass) or osteoporosis.
Bone is constantly restoring itself. Cells called osteo-blasts are responsible for making bone, and other cells, called osteoclasts, are needed to remove old bone as its minerals are absorbed for use elsewhere in the body. If theosteoclasts break down the bone more quickly than it is replaced, then bone tends to become less dense and is therefore likely to break more easily.
Bone is at its strongest when a person is around age thirty, and thereafter begins to decline. In women, this decline begins to accelerate at menopause. If you have not accumulated sufficient bone mass during those formative times in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, or if you lose it too quickly in later years, you are at increased risk of osteoporosis.
A diagnosis of osteoporosis is reached by measuring bone density. The standard of measurement for that diagnosis has been determined by the World Health Organization and was obtained by measuring the bone mass of people who have not had fractures related to low bone mass. The standard measurement is therefore the bone density of a thirty-year-old premenopausal woman. The bone density measurement is referred to as a T-score or a SD(standard deviation) score. T-scores of less than 1 standard deviation (SD) indicate a low risk of fracture, T-scores of more than 2.5 standard deviation from the norm confirm a diagnosis of osteoporosis. But the T-score alone is not the only determinant of fracture risk. Heavy women are less likely to fracture a bone in a fall than thin women. Women taking medications that may cause disturbances in balance are more likely to fall and suffer from a fracture. So two women with the same T-score may have a different fracture risk.
Many women, then, can be diagnosed with osteoporosis yet suffer few, if any, ill effects from the condition. The T-score is based on a comparison with the bone of a thirty-year-old, so the standard is set very high. Moreover, it is possible to have osteoporosis in one area of the skeleton and not in another. The spine and hips are the areas that cause most concern because hip fractures in older adults lead to loss of height and curvature of the spine. With the techniques now being used to diagnose this condition early, so that treatment can begin before fractures occur, many people will probably discover the beginnings of osteoporosis before it is diagnosed due to a fracture. Osteoporosis is not a curable condition as yet, but there are various methods that may slow down the process of bone loss.
Many people have the impression that osteoporosis is caused solely by a dietary calcium deficiency and that it therefore can be remedied by taking calcium supplements. This is not quite correct. It is the way calcium is absorbed and used by the body that seems to be the important factor, not necessarily the amount of calcuim consumed. Also, the type of calcium consumed is important.
While calcium supplementation is important in dealing with osteoporosis, there are other considerations as well. The correct balance of magnesium, boron, potassium, folic acid, and vitamins C, E, and K all play vital roles in battling osteoporosis, as does protein. There is some debate on the subject of osteoporosis and dietary protein. Some research has indicated that consuming large quantities of protein may cause an acid imbalance in the body, which the body attempts to counteract by releasing minerals from the bone-including calcium. A contrary point of view holds that protein consuption increases the production of insulin like growth factor, (IGF-1) which is responsible for maintaining muscle and bone strength.
In the United States alone, 25 million people-80 percent of them women-are affected by osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can appear at any age. It is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually, including 300,000 hip fractures, approximately 700,000 vertebral fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures, and more than 300,000 fractures at other sites. Hospitals and nursing homes in the United States spend an estimated $14 billion each year in direct costs for osteoporosis and related fractures.
There are three basic types of osteoporosis. Type I is believed to be caused by hormonal changes, particularly a loss of estrogen, which causes the loss of minerals form the bones to accelerate. Type II is linked to dietary deficiency, especially a lack of sufficient calcium and of vitamin D, which is necessary for the absorption of calcium. Type III occurs in men and women at any age and is caused by drug treatment for other illnesses or other diseases unconnected with osteoporosis. Many women mistakenly believe that osteoporosis is something they need be concerned about only after menopause.
However, recent evidence indicates that osteoporosis often begins early in life and is not strictly a postmenopausal problem. Although bone loss accelerates after menopause as a result of the drop in estrogen levels, it begins much earlier. A number of factors are known to influence an individual's risk of developing osteoporosis. The first, and probably the most important is the peak bone mass achieved in adulthood; the larger and denser the bones are to begin with, the less debilitating bone loss is likely to be. Small, fine-boned women therfore have more reason for concern than women with larger frames and heavier bones. Race and ethnicity also appear to play a role. Women of northern European or Asian ancestry are more likely to develop osteoporosis, while women of African descent are less likely to be affected.
Dietary and lifestyle habits are important as well. Insufficient calcium intake is one factor, but equally important are other dietary practices that affect calcium metabolism. Caffeine, alcohol, and many other drugs appear to have a detrimental effect on calcium absorption. Bone density also depends on exercise. When the body gets regular weight-bearing exercise (such as walking), it responds by depositing more mineral in the bones, especially the bones of the legs, hips, and spine. Conversely, a lack of regular exercise accelerates the loss of bone mass. Other factors that make one more likely to develop osteoporosis include smoking, late puberty, early menopuse, (natural or artificially induce) a family history of the disease, hyperthyroidism, chronic liver or kidney disease and the long-term use of corticosteroids, antiseizure medications or anticoagulants.
The good news is that there are products that can reverse osteoporosis naturally.
The best product is NUTRA-WOUND. It is the only product that will significantly increase the production of collagen in the bone. Collagen is the most important part of the bone. Nutra-Wound will double the amount of collagen in the bone, it is the structure that calcium attaches to, and is 40-50% more effective than taking a collagen supplement.
Next is Oxy E. The fulvic acid helps set calcium in bones.
Another great product is Zeolite. This increases bone formation, alkalizes, and is a great heavy metal detoxifier, especially mercury. In short, Zeolite helps increase bone density.
