Forget About Calcium Supplements!

Al Sears, MD has given some free medical advice today. Don't waste your money on calcium supplements,he said. According to him,do not expect to build strong bones or avoid osteoporosis by taking these supplements.

According to him, osteoporosis isn't caused by a lack of calcium. He cited studies to prove this. One of these was the the complete and well conducted Harvard Nurses' Study. The study followed 77,761 nurses. For 12 years, researchers examined the association between dietary calcium and bone fractures.Conclusion? Calcium intake does not prevent fractures due to bone loss.

The results showed there was no protection from fractures with any dose of calcium intake. Nurses who had the highest calcium intakes actually had an increased risk of bone fracture.

According to Al Sears,an Australian study confirms the result of the Harvard Nurses' Study. This study which also looked at the association between calcium and fracture
risk. After looking at lifetime calcium consumption in over 400 elderly participants,the study concluded that calcium consumption in early adulthood actually increased the risk of bone fractures as the person ages.

Also, doctors in the UK found that calcium and vitamin D did not prevent fractures. The two-year UK study showed that neither calcium nor vitamin D lowered the number of fractures in women over age seventy.

Al Sears explained that it is actually hormones and exercise that controls bone loss.

Bone building is hormonal. In women, estrogens are the main regulators of bone health and breakdown. Progesterone controls the rate of new bone deposition. But the most powerful bone builder in both men and women is testosterone. Testosterone is central for achieving maximal bone mass and strength.

Taking calcium supplements will give you a short-term boost in bone density, but that's it. Over time, your hormones will work against the extra calcium and actually leave your bones more brittle than before.

Al cited this fact.The US has the highest intake of calcium,yet the rates of osteoporosis are the highest in the world.Countries with lower intakes of calcium have lower rates of hip fracture and osteoporosis.

As such,maintaining healthy levels of hormones in the body is one way to keep bones strong.

There is an easy and inexpensive hormone precursor shown to improve the levels of other sex hormones. It's called DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone).It is involved in the manufacturing of most major sex hormones in the body,like estrogen and testosterone. DHEA treatments are becoming more common.

This is available over the counter but Al advised taking it without first checking blood levels. He suggested consulting a doctor to measure it before going on this hormone supplement.

According to Al Sears, physical inactivity can lead to weakening of the bones.The bones need to bear weight in order to become strong.So when one does weight bearing activities,one is actually telling the bones that they must become strong in order to continue these activities.

To strengthen bones, one need to push more weight. Challenging muscles and bones with weight bearing exercises is crucial.Walking,cycling, weight training or playing tennis or golf will help.

If a person wants strong bones for life, there are six things that need to be done.

1.Exercise:The best to increase bone density and reduce fractures is body weight exercises(like calisthenics)and resistance training.Make a habit of doing these exercises two or three times a week.Thirty minutes of walking a day will lower your risk of fracture by 30 percent. Whenever you exercise,your muscles pull on your bones. This pressure creates a challenge that your body responds to by increasing bone density. This will ensure that you stay mobile and independent.

2.Skip calcium supplements: Get your calcium through your diet. Eat a variety of small fish, dark, leafy green vegetables, almonds and cashews, or dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. You should be aiming for about 400 mg per day.

3.Take a vitamin D supplement: The recommendation is 400 IU per day. It helps the body to absorb calcium and maintain bone density. Without vitamin D, calcium supplements are worthless. The best source of vitamin D is the sun -10 to 15 minutes of exposure a day should be enough. During the winter, take cod liver oil. It's by far the best supplemental source of vitamin D.

4.Eat your greens:Vitamin K found in dark leafy greens regulates calcium while stabilizing bones in addition to regulating blood clotting.Eat at least one serving of green vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, Brussels sprouts or broccoli every day.One study found people eating just 0.1 milligrams of vitamin K daily (about one large serving of greens) were 30% less likely to break their hips than people who ate less than that amount.

Another university study showed that vegetables and herbs improve bone metabolism.Researchers found that rats that missed out on their veggies much lower bone density.5 Another showed that fruits and vegetables increase your bone density. The same study found that dairy products did nothing.

5.Eat foods rich in B-complex vitamins: Your body also uses a variety of B vitamins in bone building.The best sources are liver, eggs, lean meats, yeast, fish, raw nuts, asparagus, broccoli and bananas.

6.Get a blood test: A simple blood test will tell you how your hormone levels affect your bone health. This is the best way to determine the health of your bones and your risk for fracture. Women may need to take natural progesterone. For both men and women testosterone is the most powerful controller of your bone density.

So,do you find this information helpful?