We covered calcium and vitamin D already, so we need to finish off with drugs.

(Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva) are in the same chemical class (phosphonate) that is household cleaners used to remove soap scum from your bathroom.

In your body you have cells that break down old bone and cells that make new bone to replace the old stuff. Fosamax poisons the cells that break down old bone.

If you kill these cells your bone will get denser. The problems is that you can only have so many dead bodies piled up before they start to stink.

Bones constantly require maintenance, the removal and replacement of new bone to stay strong. These drugs do NOT build ANY new bone.

“But, my doctor said to take hormones.” The problem is they are rarely tested and women are just given estrogen. Estrogen doesn’t really build bone. Progesterone does. Women are never given or told to use that instead. Progesterone increases bone strength and density.

Natural progesterone as it is a natural substance which can not be patented and no huge amounts of profit can be realized, so you don’t see it promoted or studied.

Merck is the manufacturer of Fosamax, and it is entrenched in more lawsuits being filed on Fosamax than it will on Vioxx. The Fosamax suits claim it is a dangerous product because it can cause osteonecrosis, a condition that causes your jaw bone to rot and decay. Dentists saw this problem years ago.

You need to know and do more than just take calcium +D and a drug like Fosamax.

Last month we covered the ins and outs of calcium and I had to leave you hanging about vitamin D. You ALWAYS hear, “You need calcium with D.”

Vitamin D does help you absorb calcium. The U.S. Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board cited literature showing 800 I.U. per day is necessary to reduce the risk of hip fracture.

D is the easiest vitamin to get too much of. What if you get too much? Long-term Vitamin D toxicity usually shows up as kidney stones, artery calcification and yes, even bone loss.

I Want You To Learn Something,

Not 1 Doctor in 1000 Knows.

****Vitamin A protects against D toxicity

It also helps protect against calcifications and bone loss. For example: It helps prevent kidney stones but can’t reverse them.

**Vitamins A & D increase bone mineralization a better when combined.

A study about the role fatty acids play in building the bone mineral density of young men found that concentrations of omega-3 fats were associated with positive bone mineral densities.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition March 2007; 85(3): 803-807

All this means– A good quality cod liver oil is far superior than just your Vitamin D in a calcium supplement. Cod liver oil naturally has vitamins A +D, Omega 3’s and DHA. Once again, doing things the way nature intended is always correct. Remember vitamin D by itself could make your health worse.

Osteoporosis

Where to Start?

Kind of like a mosquito in a nudist colony.

Calcium, D, Calcium, D, Calcium, D

You’ve heard it a million and a half times. Those are OK recommendations but you can do sooo much better. This is a very special issue, because in the next 2 pages you may learn more about osteoporosis than you ever thought possible. So bear with me, if you haven’t heard some of these things before, don’t worry. Most doctors don’t know this stuff, either. Osteoporosis is much more complicated than “Take Fosamax and calcium with D”.

Why does osteoporosis occur?

1. Either you are not eating enough calcium, or

2. You don’t absorb it well

3. You can’t put calcium in your bones

4. You are pulling too much calcium out of your bones

We can’t cover everything, but you will have a good start. But wait Dr Altman, “I’m only 35, I don’t have osteoporosis.” No, maybe not, but bone loss can start that young, though. Today we are talking prevention, NOT early detection.

I saw a stick for cancer awareness last week that said “Early detection is the best prevention”. No, it’s not. Prevention is prevention. That means doing the right things 10 or 20 years before “early detection”. Cancer can grow for 20 years before it is detectable.

So lets get back to preventing osteoporosis. It’s pretty common and it is a big job, but I think you can do it.

It’s ironic my name is David, because I think it’s time to slay a giant.

CALCIUM

Eating calcium

When doctors tell you 1200mg per day that includes what you are eating. Two cups of greens has more calcium than a glass of Milk.

It is the most abundant mineral in the human body. You need it. But when a doctor tells you to take calcium, that’s it, “just take some calcium”. Well folks, there are different forms of calcium.

You May Not Be Absorbing It

Well over 90% of the calcium in the market is calcium carbonate, that is just limestone rock. It is fairly insoluble, and to absorb any of it you need a strong stomach acid. So it would be better to take an ionized calcium that doesn’t need your stomach acid as much. A calcium lactate, calcium citrate, or calcium gluconate would be much better. You can always tell a doctor who doesn’t know much about nutrition when they tell a patient to take TUMS for their calcium. It will make you WORSE. You need the acid to absorb the calcium.

You’re Not Putting Calcium In Your Bones.

If you have arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) you don’t need more calcium. You need more of the things that put calcium in the bones like: trace minerals and magnesium. They are removed in processed foods to extend shelf life and most food is grown in soil with less minerals.

You Are Pulling Too Much Out.

The number one thing that can pull calcium out of your bones is phosphates. You can find them in dark sodas. They are also in processed foods as stabilizers, buffers, conditioners, or acidifiers.

Some medications also push calcium out of the body. If you want to check any, we have a book in the office that lists many of the meds.

Osteoporosis isn’t as easy as taking calcium

A few other tips for using calcium that may help

1. Osteoporosis- Take Calcifood wafers – It has all the proper nutrients in the right balance for building bones.

2. Back pain or bone pain- Take Cal-Ma Plus- It can also be used for osteoporosis temporarily.

3. Muscle cramps- Calcium Lactate- on an empty stomach

4. Osteoporosis- Calcium Lactate- with food

5. Immune system help-Calcium Lactate- on an empty stomach

6. Allergy symptoms- Cal Amo- the sinus cavities have become too alkaline. This combats that.

7. Difficulty falling asleep- Cal Sol or Calcium Lactate– before bed

This is such a huge topic we will have to tackle the vitamin D and drug recommendations in the next issue. Trust me, you won’t want to miss them.