Preventing Osteoporosis
It’s far easier to prevent a problem than it is to treat one, and that’s especially true when it comes to osteoporosis. There are plenty of steps you can take to build stronger bones; exercise, don’t smoke, hormone replacement, and the use of any number of pharmaceutical drugs to prevent osteoporosis . Today, though, we are going to focus on supplements for stronger bones.
Supplements for Stronger Bones
Inflammation contributes to osteoporosis, so any food or nutrient high in anti-oxidants or having anti-inflammatory properties will be beneficial in preventing osteoporosis.
Most of us are familiar with the need for adequate calcium and vitamin D, but you need more than that to keep your bones strong and in tip-top  shape. Other important nutrients/supplements include:
- Vitamin K2:
- Magnesium:
- Boron
- Silica
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Curcumin
Calcium and Vitamin D
Let’s go back to calcium and vitamin D. You need to 1,200 to 1,500 mg of calcium a day for osteoporosis prevention. Each dairy serving contains 250 mg to 300 mg of calcium in it  – so take that into account. Vitamin D improves the absorption of calcium.
Vitamin D levels can easily be measured and dosing should be based on levels. Though vitamin D levels above 30 ng/dl are considered normal strive for levels closer to 60 ng/dl – these are healthier. To get there do not be surprised if you need to take 2,000 to 5,000 IUs a day and possibly even more.
Vitamin K2Â
Vitamin K2 may be the most important bone building supplement you never heard of before. Vitamin K2 keeps calcium in the bones and prevents it from building up in our blood vessels. If you take the blood thinner coumadin, don’t take vitamin K2 without talking to your doctor first,as it will affect the blood thinning properties of coumadin.
The dose of vitamin K2 is still being debated. Doses as low as 50 mcg to 100 mcg daily seem to protect bone, but some recommend doses as high as 1,000 mcg daily. At this time I’ve been recommending 100 mcg a day.
Magnesium
Magnesium improves transport of calcium through the blood stream. We tend to become magnesium deficient as we tend to absorb less magnesium from our foods as we age. Increase stress depletes the body of magnesium, too. The daily dose is 500 mg a day, though as little as 200 mg can be effective for bone loss prevention.
Boron
Boron is a trace element that interacts with calcium and magnesium in beneficial ways. It also has anti-inflammatory properties which limits bone loss. The daily dose is 3 mg to 9 mg.
Silica
Silica stimulates bone formation and prevents bone resorption. The daily dose is 5 mg to 10 mg.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish oil and flax-seed. They have strong anti-inflammatory properties. They also block bone resorption and stimulate bone formation cells. The recommended dose for bone health is 2,400 mg of the combination of EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil.
Curcumin
Curcumin blocks NF-kappaB, the main control switch of the inflammatory process and is being used more and more to treat inflammation and as a cancer treatment. Curcumin also blocks bone resorption. The recommended dose is 400 mg of a highly absorbable curcumin supplement.
Stronger bones can be in your future with help of these nutritional supplements. But, don’t forget to exercise.
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