Natural osteoporosis treatments can be a valuable part of an overall plan to support bone health in susceptible individuals.
Osteoporosis is a silent disease that develops in certain people, especially with older age. Postmenopausal women who are small and thin, white or Asian in race, are particularly prone to osteoporosis. Many other factors increase risk, including low calcium intake, malabsorption syndromes, excessive alcohol intake, high levels of corticosteroid hormones from medical problems or from steroid medications, excessive thyroid hormone, and numerous other medications such as the widely-used acid-blocker drugs and antacids for acid reflux conditions.
The bones become less dense, more brittle, and more susceptible to fractures. The fractures can occur anywhere, but especially in hip, spine, and wrist.
The conventional drugs used for osteoporosis carry many risks themselves. The most popular ones, bisphosphonates, are likely to cause severe irritation of the esophagus, as well as relatively rare but serious problems with bones such as jaw necrosis or bone fractures in the femoral bone of the leg. Other drugs such as Forteo (teriparatide injection) can strengthen bones, but have a rare risk for causing bone cancer, with total use limited to 24-26 months of treatment. Forteo can also cause lightheadedness and faintness, paresthesias and muscle weakness as a side effect. No drug is risk free.
What are the more natural alternative treatments for osteoporosis?
The easiest and healthiest is weight-bearing exercise, done under medical supervision. Resistance training, not just aerobic exercise, is the type needed to help the bones strengthen. In addition, there are a number of important core treatments. These include taking 1000 mg calcium per day, preferably in a well-absorbed form such as calcium citrate, vitamin D3 800-5000 IU per day (blood levels should reach at least 35-40 ng/ml, perhaps up to 50-70 ng/ml according to some experts).
However, many other nutrients play a role in bone health. These include magnesium, which many experts advise should be taken with calcium so that the ratio of calcium to magnesium intake is 2:1; boron; vitamin K (some experts focus on vitamin K2, especially MK-7 form). Research suggests that strontium supplements may also improve bone density. Preliminary studies suggest that the herb turmeric may promote bone health. One natural products company claims that a product made from olive leaf has shown promise in slowing bone loss or even increasing bone density in some areas of the body in people with osteoporosis.
