Health & Nutrition: Cures for Low Bone Density

A high bone density is essential for strong bones. Bone density is determined by how much calcium, phosphorus and other important minerals your bones contain. A lack of certain nutrients and minerals can result in low bone density, which can gradually lead to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is characterized by the development of porous bones, weak bones, and bones that become brittle and fracture or break easily. Symptoms of osteoporosis include back pain, loss of height, and unexpected fractures of the vertebrae, hips, wrists, and other bones. There are some nutritional changes you can make to help prevent low bone density.

Calcium

• Your bones go through a process called remodeling where old bone cells are replaced with new bone cells; this occurs every three months in adults, but the process is faster in younger people. By the time you are 30 years old, your bone mass has peaked, and during the bone remodeling process, you begin to lose more bone cells than your body replaces: over time, this can result in low bone density. Women are particularly prone to osteoporosis, because during menopause, estrogen levels decline and bone loss intensifies.

  Your body requires calcium, which is a mineral, for good bone health. Premenopausal women ages 19 to 50 need 1000 mg of calcium a day, and those over the age of 50 need 1500 mg of calcium each day. If you are taking estrogen, you only require 1000 mg of calcium daily. Food sources for calcium include milk, yogurt, cheese, leafy greens, collard greens, spinach, broccoli, tofu, salmon and almonds. You can also get calcium from blackstrap molasses, cabbage, figs, kelp, mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens, Swiss chard, oysters and sardines. To consume calcium as a supplement, take 500 mg of calcium per dose: this allows for the body to absorb calcium with greater ease. Drink each dose with 8 to 10 oz. of water to avoid constipation.

  Side effects associated with calcium consumption include gastrointestinal upset and constipation. Excessive dosages can result in kidney toxicity, irregular heartbeat, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting. If you have sarcoidosis, hyperparathyroidism or kidney issues, do not consume calcium supplements. Calcium may interfere with medications such as alendronate, atenolol, verapamil, cholestyramine, colestipol, colesevelam, corticosteroids, digoxin, estrogens, thiazide diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide, loop diuretics such as furosemide and bumetanide, amiloride, gentamicin, and antibiotics such as quinolone and tetracycline. Calcium supplements may also interfere with the use of phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and primidone.

Vitamin D

• Your body requires vitamin D to help it absorb calcium. If you are under the age of 50, you require 400 to 800 International Units (IUs) of vitamin D daily. If you are over 51, you require 800 to 1000 IUs of vitamin D each day. Get vitamin D from food sources such as cod liver oil, tuna, herring, sardines, salmon, mackerel, milk, cereals that are vitamin D fortified and eggs. You can also consume vitamin D in supplement form.

  If you consume more than 1000 IUs of vitamin D, you may develop side effects including thirst, a metallic taste in your mouth, diminished appetite, weight loss, bone pain, exhaustion, sore eyes, skin irritations and gastrointestinal upset. Vitamin D supplements may interfere or interact with the use of estrogens, isoniazid, antacids, verapamil, cholestyramine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, mineral oil, orlistat and digoxin.

Vitamin K

• Your body needs vitamin K to help calcium bind into bone cells. This vitamin is very important to postmenopausal women, because vitamin K levels decrease after menopause. You need 90 mcg of vitamin K daily for optimal health. You can get vitamin K from food sources such as green lettuce, cabbage, kale, broccoli, turnip greens, beef liver, green tea, spinach and asparagus. You can also consume vitamin K in supplement form.

  Breastfeeding women should avoid using vitamin K and pregnant females should consult with a physician before consuming supplements. If you have Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, you should avoid using vitamin K. This vitamin may interfere or interact with cephalosporins such as cefamandole, cefoperazone, cefmetazole and cefotetan. Vitamin K may also interact with phenytoin, warfarin, and orlistat as well as cholestyramine, colestipol and colsevelam.