Basic Bone Health
Osteoporosis, a condition characterized by porous bones that fracture easily, and by curvature of the spine, affects both men and women. The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Richard Carmona, recommends that everyone take steps to maintain healthy bones throughout life. Research suggests that there are six major vitamins and minerals that play positive roles in helping form and maintain healthy bones: vitamins C, D, and K, and the minerals calcium, magnesium, and zinc.
Vitamin C is essential for forming collagen—a type of protein found in bone—and has antioxidant (cell-protective) properties which may reduce the risk of bone fracture in smokers.
Vitamin D3 (calcitrol) helps the body absorb calcium through the intestinal wall. According to the American Medical Association, adequate levels of vitamin D help keep bones strong and may help prevent osteoporosis.
Vitamin K2 activates at least three proteins involved in bone health, and is effective in preventing bone fracture, according to researchers from the Vitamin K Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston, MA.
Calcium, according to studies, increased or maintained bone mineral density—the amount of bone mass—in mid-to-late postmenopausal women, particularly those who were deficient in calcium. In another study, postmenopausal women who took 1,000 mg of calcium per day experienced 30% less bone fracture than did those in the placebo group.
Magnesium helps the body use calcium, and aids the hormones responsible for regulating calcium. In studies, magnesium supplements increased bone mineral density.
Zinc metabolizes (makes available for the body to use as energy) protein and helps create the collagen-protein framework of the bone which supports remineralization—the process of rebuilding bone mass.
Weight-bearing exercise—walking, aerobics, and using low-impact exercise machines such as stair climbers—can slow bone loss and may even promote bone growth.
Reference: Journal of the American College of Nutrition; 2000, Vol. 19, No. 6, 715-37.
