Osteoporosis is a disease in which bone density decreases , increasing the susceptibility to fractures .
This means that bone mass is broken down faster than it is built up in osteoporosis. With healthy bone metabolism, this process would be balanced. So there is a deficiency in the body.
Statistically speaking , one in two women and one in four men over the age of 50 suffer a bone fracture due to osteoporosis.
That doesn't sound too bad at first, because broken bones are generally considered curable. However, it should be noted that a quarter of those who suffer such a fracture end up in a nursing home, while the other half of patients do not regain their usual functioning . *
The most common bone fractures associated with osteoporosis are fractures in the spine, hips and wrists.
In order to reduce the risk of bone fractures caused by osteoporosis in old age, we would like to recommend that you pay attention to your bone health today .
What role does calcium play in our bones?
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. An adult human has around 1 kilogram of calcium, 99% of which is found in the bones and teeth.
Do you still remember the advertisement where a child bursting with vitality held out a glass of milk?
It was said that one should enjoy at least one glass of this milk every day to ensure healthy bones and teeth. Officially, calcium deficiency was considered one of the most important factors for osteoporosis.**
But that is wrong!
Does a bone break if it suffers from calcium deficiency? No , when a bone suffers from a calcium deficiency, it loses the strength that calcium gives it.
Without calcium, what remains are the bone components that give the bone elasticity. So what happens now? That's right: the bone bends, but it doesn't break!
From this it can be concluded that osteoporous bones certainly also lack calcium, but primarily connective tissue structures that ensure the elasticity of the bone.
What can you do for healthy bones?
In the case of osteoporosis, excessive consumption of dairy products and taking calcium supplements are the worst measures .
The focus should be on consuming a reasonable, natural amount of calcium through foods (vegetables, salads) and ensuring that the body can also incorporate this into the bones .
Very few people know that when the organism is deacidified, it produces calcium itself, which makes a calcium-based diet obsolete! You should also provide yourself with the minerals, trace elements and vitamins that promote bone development.
Vitamins that promote bone development:
Vitamin D
The sunshine vitamin influences the absorption of calcium. It ensures that the calcium from food can pass from the intestine through the intestinal mucosa into the bloodstream. Without vitamin D, calcium cannot be absorbed from food.
Vitamin K
Thanks to the support of vitamin K, the protein osteocalcin can be formed. Osteocalcin binds calcium and incorporates it into the bones . However, vitamin K also prevents excessive mineralization of the bones, which would result in an increased risk of fracture.
Minerals for bone health:
magnesium
Magnesium is also an important component of the bones and plays a key role in the incorporation of calcium into the bones. 75% of the magnesium in the body is found in our bones and teeth . Magnesium is also essential for the conversion of vitamin D into the form vitamin D3, which is active for the organism.
Ensure a balanced calcium magnesium ratio of a maximum of 2:1. But it's not that easy! In cow's milk, for example, the ratio is 10:1, and in cheese it is sometimes 30:1.
Excessive calcium intake, such as through excessive dairy products or calcium supplements, can increase the excretion of magnesium from the body and thus contribute to a magnesium deficiency. A balanced magnesium level is important for the incorporation of calcium into the bones.
potassium
Scientists are convinced that potassium, like boron / borax (more on this below), can reduce the excretion of magnesium and calcium in the urine. Together with vitamin C, it promotes bone formation . **
Trace elements for healthy bones
Trace elements that are important for bone health include phosphorus, boron, zinc, potassium, manganese, copper and silicon. During the so-called “mineralization of the bones”, the trace elements and minerals combine with the elastic collagen fibers and thus form the bone structure.
Silicon
In our opinion, silicon is the most important mineral for the process of “ bone mineralization ”. One could even say that healthy, strong bone development is not possible without silicon.
Silicon is involved in both the synthesis of collagen fibers and the mineralization process.
boron
The trace element boron influences kidney function and can prevent excessive excretion of calcium and magnesium in the urine.
If too much calcium and magnesium is excreted in the urine, the blood calcium level in the body drops. This means that he has to take calcium from the bones in order to bring the blood calcium level back into balance .
Boron also has a boosting effect on vitamin D.
Additional measures that have a positive effect on your bone health
More than 4 cups of coffee per day and a diet very high in sodium chloride increase the loss of minerals through the urine. Therefore, you should reduce your daily intake of these foods for the sake of your bone health.
A predominantly acid-forming diet, which leads to hyperacidity in the long term, is also considered one of the risk factors for osteoporosis .
To neutralize the acids that arrive through food or form in the body, for example due to stress, the body needs alkaline minerals.
If we do not consume enough of these basic minerals through food or high-quality nutritional supplements, the body has to attack the body's own mineral depots , including the bones.
However, all of these valuable measures can only be effective if you exercise regularly . In the long term, a lack of exercise not only leads to a loss of muscle mass, but also bone mass.
In summary, it can be said that bone fractures caused by osteoporosis can be prevented in old age by, among other things:
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- Maintain a balanced calcium to magnesium ratio of a maximum of 2:1 by avoiding excessive consumption of dairy products and unnecessary calcium supplements
- Prefer a balanced, alkaline, natural diet without excessive consumption of coffee, table salt and soft drinks
- exercise regularly under moderate stress
- With the help of a hair mineral analysis, identify any deficiencies in trace elements or minerals and replenish them with targeted nutritional supplements and keep them constant
Click here for our “Joints and Bones” category: https://www.hs-activa.com/pages/gesunde-Joints-and-Bones
Sources:
** https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/71/1/142/4729315?login=true
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