The Natural Approach to Osteoporosis: Part 3
Foods That Protect Bone Health
There is a reasonable amount of research on specific foods which help support healthy bones, and below we will take a look at those that are the most beneficial.
Prunes
Surprisingly, one of the best foods for building bone are dried plums. A study done on postmenopausal women found that only five prunes a day, over the course of a year, prevented bone loss, and over five years improved bone mass density.
“Overall, the findings of our studies and others strongly suggest that dried plum in its whole form is a promising and efficacious functional food therapy for preventing bone loss in postmenopausal women, with the potential for long-lasting bone-protective effects.” (Source)
Soy Foods
Genistein, the isoflavone derived from fermented soy foods (and also found in coffee, fava beans, and red clover) has proven to be a powerful aid to bone health. Tofu and soymilk contain some genistein, but not nearly as much as the fermented soy foods: miso, tamari, tempeh, and natto.
One randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study set out “to evaluate and compare with hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) the effect of the phytoestrogen genistein on bone metabolism and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women”.
The conclusion of this study was nothing less than amazing, yet one seldom hears about it. Genistein proved to be at least as effective as HRT at improving bone density (and is much safer).
“This study confirms the genistein-positive effects on bone loss already observed in the experimental models of osteoporosis and indicates that the phytoestrogen reduces bone resorption and increases bone formation in postmenopausal women.” (Source)
Carotenoids
The familiar beta carotene is only one of the family of carotenoids, mostly found in foods like apricots, carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and spinach.
(Notice I said sweet potatoes and not yams, though yams are more orange in color, a sign of the presence of carotenoids. “ The orange tubers you find in supermarkets that are called yams are actually usually “soft” sweet potatoes. According to the Farmers’ Almanac, when orange sweet potatoes were first introduced in the U.S., grocery stores called them yams to differentiate them from white sweet potatoes, which tended to be larger, drier and less appealing.” Source)
The family of carotenoids, and especially lycopene, have been proven to dramatically promote bone health. Foods highest in lycopene, along with the other carotenoids, include guava, grapefruit, mangos, papaya, red cabbage, red peppers, tomatoes, and watermelon
A study which ran for 17 years, observed 950 men and women and found that those who ate the most carotenoids had a far lower risk of fractures.
“In summary, we observed an association between total carotenoid intake, lycopene intake, and fracture risk that supports a hypothesis that these nutrients may be protective against fractures in this population of elderly white men and women. β-carotene may also be protective against hip fracture.” (Source)
(I will point out here that our NutriPods, all three versions, are one of the very few multivitamin products that uses natural beta carotene, a complex that includes the family of carotenoids.)
Tea
Tea is a major source of dietary flavonoids and observational studies have linked tea drinking to higher bone density. One study followed 1100 women over ten years, to confirm or refute the idea that drinking black tea would reduce fracture risk in an elderly population.
The study concluded that: “Higher intake of black tea and particular classes of flavonoids were associated with lower risk of fracture-related hospitalizations in elderly women at high risk of fracture.” (Source)
Now this study was done in Australia so they only looked at black tea, but since green tea has almost as much in the way of flavonoids as black tea, I did a little digging and found a Korean study that confirmed the value of green tea for bone health.
“Participants who did not consume green tea or consumed less than one cup per day were more likely to have osteopenia of the lumbar spine or femur than those who consumed it once to three times a day…These results support that green tea consumption may have benefits on bone health.” (Source)
Fruits and Vegetables
Since flavonoids are found in most fruits and vegetables, it is no surprise that a meta-analysis (covering a total of just over 225,000 people) found that a lower bone fracture risk was associated with an increase of just one extra serving of fruits/vegetables daily. However, we do not know what the base intake of these foods was, though one must assume it was fairly low (i.e. Standard American Diet) for an additional one serving to make a demonstrable difference. (Source)
As well as flavonoids, foods high in vitamin C also have a valuable role to play. Foods richest in vitamin C include broccoli, cauliflower, cantaloupe, kale, kiwi, oranges, papaya, peppers, sweet potato, strawberries and tomatoes. All of which should ideally be organic and fresh. (An orange that has been in cold storage for a year has very little vitamin C left in it.) Furthermore, “compared to green bell peppers, the red ones have almost 11 times more beta-carotene and 2 times more vitamin C”.
“Greater dietary vitamin C intake was associated with a 33 % lower risk of osteoporosis. Greater dietary vitamin C intake was associated with a lower risk of hip fracture and osteoporosis, as well as higher BMD, at the femoral neck and lumbar spine.” (Source)
Not a big surprise here, since vitamin C is required for building collagen in the bone matrix. And of course for those who need optimal absorption, Liposomal Vitamin C will be far better absorbed than conventional vitamin C.
Effective Calcium Supplements
Red Mineral Algae and AlgaeCal, are two products derived from the species of algae called Lithothamnion. Such products have been shown to actually rebuild bone, unlike regular calcium which, in the absence of plenty of co-factors, can only, at best, prevent bone loss.
The primary difference between these two products is that Red Mineral Algae is fossilized and thus has become a form of calcium carbonate. Therefore, it requires it be taken at a meal with animal protein, in order that enough stomach acid is released that it can be fully digested. AlgaeCal is from fresh algae and so would not require a high level of stomach acid (it also costs twice as much as RMA).
Another plant based form of calcium that can rebuild bone is coral calcium, which is what Nutristart uses in our NutriPods and Mineral Mix.
The reason these three forms of calcium can rebuild bone is because, unlike most commercial calcium products, they all contain the full range of trace minerals, being derived from whole foods.
The only other form of calcium shown to rebuild bone mass on its own, is one that is animal-derived, as opposed to the plant-derived algae products (coral technically is an animal). Microcrystalline Hydroxyapatite is an extract of whole bone that contains calcium and phosphorus, which “provides bone and teeth with their structural hardness and integrity”. Medically, it has been used as an implant for bone and dental surgeries, showing how easily it adapts into our bodies.
Conclusion
Two other important factors that work to reverse osteoporosis are the Alkaline diet and weight bearing exercises: “examples include walking, dancing, low-impact aerobics, elliptical training machines, stair climbing and gardening. These types of exercise work directly on bones in the legs, hips and lower spine to slow bone loss”. (Source)
If I’ve offended you or your doctor, I’m sorry, and really it’s not their fault. The medical associations prevent them from even talking about supplementation or alternative treatments, and they spend very little time studying nutrition in medical school. But, when we look at the health crisis facing North America as the boomers age en masse, it is apparent that the obvious solution is an integrated medical system that encourages alternative and preventative health care.
(Author: All newsletters and blogs are written by Ken Peters who has worked as a nutritional consultant for the last 30 years, and as product designer for NutriStart for the last 25 years. He has also authored two books – Health Secrets Vol. 1&2. He may be reached at: kenpetersconsulting@gmail.com)