Hormones Play Key Role in Osteoporosis

Under Construction:

Your Bone’s Remodeling Efforts Need Good Nutrition, Calcium and Vitamin D 

From Alternatives Newsletter November 2006

Most people don’t think of their body as a construction zone, but the truth is that bones are in a constant state of remodeling, said Dr. Robert Heaney, a Creighton University professor and one of the nation’s leading authorities on osteoporosis.

“Bones turn over 10 percent each year – they’re constantly replacing bony structures,” Dr. Heaney said.  “One of the principal reasons that bones become fragile is not simply because bone mass is low, but because the remodeling rate is high.  If a bone is flimsy and someone has lost part of that bone and at the same time they’re doing a lot of remodeling, the structures that are needed for support may be out of commission.”

And that, Dr. Heaney said, is often how osteoporosis develops and does its damage.  Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break.  Left untreated, osteoporosis progresses painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine and wrist, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.  Of the 10 million Americans who suffer from osteoporosis, women are four times more likely than men to develop the disease.

Dr. Heaney said that this potentially debilitating condition can be caused by many factors including lack of exercise, hormone deficiencies, heredity, vitamin D deficiency, certain medications, and too little calcium.  “What can happen with someone who does not have enough calcium and vitamin D is that the body then tries to compensate by taking calcium out of the bones,” Dr. Heaney said.

Solid nutritional intake is the first line of defense to protect against osteoporosis, Dr. Heaney said.  “Good nutrition is the key,” he said.  “Bones require adequate calcium, vitamin D, protein, phosphorus and magnesium.  Making good food choices is vital, with dairy being one of the best to prevent osteoporosis,” he said.  A bone density scan used to diagnose low bone mass and osteoporosis can be valuable at any time when you’re starting to tune in to the importance of strong bones.  “Then the results will be motivating to you,” Dr. Heaney added.

For more information about osteoporosis, visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation Web site at www.nof.org or contact Dr. Heaney at rheaney@creighton.edu.

Hormones Play Key Role in Osteoporosis

Menopause for women seems to play an important role in the development of osteoporosis, suggesting that a decrease in the hormone estrogen may explain why women appear to be more vulnerable to the disease than men, according to Dr. Patricia Ryan, founder of Alternatives: A Center of Conscious Health.

“We know that estrogen starts to shut down for many women around the age of 50, while testosterone is declining for men much more slowly.  When men’s testosterone levels become depleted, they are also at higher risk for osteoporosis,” Dr. Ryan added.

Recent scientific studies have helped to substantiate the connection between osteoporosis and hormones.  British scientists experimenting with mice believe they may have found why post-menopausal women often suffer from osteoporosis, according to findings reported in 2003.

The researchers discovered that mice lacking a key estrogen-regulating protein were unable to grow enough bone cells.  The research was expected to lead to new therapies to treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.

“As Dr. Heaney explained, good nutrition is so important to stop the progression toward osteoporosis,” Dr. Ryan said.  “So is avoiding sugar and alcohol, which can serve to deplete calcium from the bone as well as to upset the body’s healthy ph balance.  Balancing hormones through the addition of bioidentical hormones also can help some women prevent osteoporosis.”

In addition to bone density scans, Dr. Ryan said a urine test – the pyridinium crosslinks urine test – is available to help detect whether the body is losing bone mass.

For more information about osteoporosis, contact Dr. Ryan at Alternatives: A Center for Conscious Health at 827-9450 or visit www.centerforconscioushealth.com