Osteoporosis is a progressive bone disease characterized by decreased bone density and increased fragility, making it a significant concern as populations age.
Bone is a dynamic living tissue that continuously regenerates itself. However, it’s a natural part of aging for bone density to gradually decrease.
In optimal health conditions, our bodies maintain sufficient bone mass to offset this natural thinning without negative consequences. Unfortunately, many older adults struggle with this balance.
The result can be diminished strength, reduced height, and potentially osteoporosis.
Let’s explore both established knowledge and recent findings regarding age-related bone loss, along with potential strategies to address this issue.
Healthy Bone Basics
Bone’s densely packed fibres are composed of mineralized connective tissue (by dry weight 60-70% inorganic minerals and 25-30% organic matrix most collagen protein).
The protein provides the structure and framework while the minerals give bone its strength. Bone is also the major storage site for valuable alkaline minerals (i.e., calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium).
Calcium in Bone
Most of us think of calcium as bone’s main mineral. Nearly all the body’s calcium (99%) is found in bones and teeth, the rest (1%) is predominately found in the blood. If calcium intake is inadequate the body will demineralize bone to maintain normal blood calcium concentrations.
Our life depends on it. The 1% of calcium found in the blood is crucial for muscle contraction, nerve transmission, healthy blood pressure and the maintenance of pH balance in the blood.
Yet, calcium makes up only 29% of human bone tissue. There are many other minerals that are needed to keep bone healthy and stop the accelerated aging of bone. Two other alkaline minerals needed for bone health are potassium and magnesium.
Potassium and Magnesium Protectors of Healthy Bones
The role of potassium in bone health relates to the ability of selected potassium salts to neutralize bone-depleting acids. Dietary potassium may neutralize acid load and reduce calcium loss from the bone, leading to beneficial effect on bone mineral density.
Magnesium is required for proper growth and maintenance of bone, providing structure and strength. About 60% of the body’s magnesium is found in bone. The bone will give up magnesium, as it does with calcium, when the body needs it to balance pH and function properly.
Alkaline minerals (calcium & magnesium) are retrieved from bone in order to neutralize and remove acids. The continual extraction of alkalizing compounds from bone leads to an excessive loss of both bone mineral and bone matrix.
In turn, bone strength is compromised, leading to increased risk of fracture and the thinning of bone.
Building Bone and Preventing Osteoporosis
Your body is built to have a large enough surplus of bone mass to accommodate significant thinning without increasing the risk of fracture and the loss of structure and strength. Bone mass depends on adequate bone formation in your early years.
Peak bone mass is achieved at an early age (16-20 in young women and 20-25 in young men). Building strong bones during childhood and adolescence can be the best defense against developing osteoporosis later in life.
A combination of good dietary habits, movement, and exercise while young are the keys to building and keeping strong healthy bones for a lifetime.
Achieving peak bone density by early adulthood is the first defense against developing excessive bone loss later in life. Achieving an alkaline diet throughout our life will protect our bone’s mineral reserves.
As for exercise, in recent years, it has been proven that exercise can also increase bone density in the elderly. Dr. Susan E. Brown’s website betterbones.com offers an excellent resource for bone-building exercise programs.
Is Your Western Diet Causing Your Bone Heath to Decline?
The detrimental effects of ‘acid’ from the diet on bone mineral have been demonstrated.
The role of potassium in bone health relates to the ability of selected potassium salts found in the diet to neutralize bone-depleting acids.
Dietary potassium may neutralize acid load and reduce calcium loss from the bone, leading to beneficial effect on bone mineral density.
Alkaline Balance Creates Healthy Bones
Alkaline balance is very important for bone health. Bringing your body into the optimal pH balance does not necessarily require a radical change to total lifestyle or eating habits.
Simply adjust your diet to include more nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables and add in a lemon-based alkaline drink each morning and between meals.
Morning Rise & Shine drink mix added to water is an easy way to get extra alkaline minerals and the juice of one-half lemon without added sugars.
At any age, an alkaline diet can help prevent accelerated aging and excessive bone loss later in life.
Bone Facts from Osteoporosis Canada 2022
- 2 MILLION CANADIANS are affected by Osteoporosis
- Osteoporosis affects both men and women
- Peak bone mass is achieved at an early age (16-20 in young women and 20-25 in young men)
- Bone loss begins by the mid-30’s
- At least 1 IN 3 WOMEN and 1 IN 5 MEN will suffer from an osteoporotic fracture during their lifetime
- OVER 80% OF ALL FRACTURES in people 50+ are caused by Osteoporosis
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References
https://www.doitpoms.ac.uk/tlplib/bones/structure.php
https://osteoporosis.ca/fast-facts
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8037620/ Skeletal Aging and Osteoporosis: Mechanisms and Therapeutics, Int J Mol Sci, 2021 Apr; 22(7): 3553.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4515490/ Biology of Bone Tissue: Structure, Function, and Factors That Influence Bone Cells, Biomed Res Int. 2015; 2015: 421746.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12133196/ Nutrition Society Medal lecture. The role of the skeleton in acid-base homeostasis.
https://www.osteoporosis.foundation/health-professionals/about-osteoporosis/bone-biology IOF (International Osteoporosis Foundation)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28093633/ Dietary potassium intake is beneficial to bone health, Osteoporosis Int. 2017 May;28(5):1577-1585.
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/ NIH, Magnesium Fact Sheet
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3775240/ Mg & OS : Current State of Knowledge & Future Research Directions Nutrientsv.5(8); 2013 Aug
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