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Osteoporosis Facts

      During a lifetime, women lose approximately 50% of the cancellous bone and 30% of cortical bone. Men lose about 30% and 20% of the same.

      The average American loses 1.5 inches in height each decade after menopause as a result of vertebral collapse. This means you may be 3 inches shorter at age 70 than you were at age 50.

      Osteoporosis is the cause of 90% of all fractures after age 65.

      One out of three women over the age of 65 will suffer hip fracture, which is fatal in one of every five cases.

      Osteoporosiscauses 40% of all people to lose their teeth after age 60. (Periodontal disease is osteoporosis of the mouth).

      Osteoporosis is primarily a disease of "modernized" countries. Not all areas of the world have seenthe dramatic increase in the incidence of osteoporosis that we have in the U.S. This may be due to the "estrogen dominance" created due to the abundant use of hormones and chemicals in our foods.

      Men are not exempt. Most of us think osteoporosis as a woman's problem. Men are not excluded from this epidemic, statistics show that one out of every six men over 90 will fracture a hip.

      Prevention is by far the easiest and most cost effective approach to osteoporosis.

What causes Osteoporosis?

Contrary to popular belief, osteoporosis is not due to a lack of dietary calcium. It is the result of the loss of calcium and other minerals found in bone caused by a number of factors. Some of these we have control over, some we don't.

An upset in body chemistry results in increased susceptibility to health problems. When all the minerals, hormones, pH level and other elements are in balance, the body is in homeostasis and the body runs most effeciently. When an imbalance occurs, the body makes certain adjustments through its numberous feedback system, designed to keep the internal body chemistry in balance.

Changes in the acid-base balance of the body are tremendous contributors to bone loss. Even a slight decrease in pH (acidosis) leads calcium loss from the bone as calcium salts are needed as an alkaline buffer. Acidosis can be caused by a diet high in protein (especially red meat), phosphoric acid (found in soda pop) and suger and other refined carbohydrates.

The body functions best when all the needed nutrients including minerals are present in their proper proportions. But if there is a shortage of just one mineral, the system will weaken and begin to lose efficiency. With the balance of the bodyoff, the body cannot operate optimally and eventually disease will set in. In this case, osteoporosis.

Many people assume that osteoporosis results from a calcium deficiency. While this may be true in some cases, it is by far no means the only cause of osteoporosis. Mineral imbalance and many other contributing factors are just as common. If other facors are causing a calcium deficiency or what appears to be calcium deficiency, resulting in the depletion of bone, then the true cause of it is not a calcium deficiency, but other factors. The medical establishment coonsiders a daily supplement of 1,000-1,500 mg elemental calcium with a Vitamin D supplement to be adequate and inexpensive therapy for senile osteoporosis. At least 12 intervention studies have established the skeletal benefit of increased calcium intake among women in late menopause. However, the most effective form of calcium has not been closely reviewed, as well as the significance of the 70 plus other minerals in the body.

Dental Health

While total body bone loss is known as osteoporosis, bone loss in the oral cavity, resulting in less support for the teeth, is called periodontal disease. Reduction of bone mineralization due to insufficient dietary calcium and a reduction in the calcium to phosphorous ratio increases the risk for periodontal disease. Alveolar bone (referring to the upper jaw bone) which has the highest rate of renewal, is affected first and consequently, is the most severly affected in the long term. Adequate calcium intake reduces inflammation and tooth mobility in patients suffering from gigivitis and bleeding gums.

Heart Health and High Blood Pressure

Heart disease risk factors include at least two factors which can be reduced through calcium supplementation: hypertension and elevated cholesterol.
Proper amounts of calcium in the body help regulate dietary fats and cholesterol levels in the blood. In the intestines, calcium can combine with other nutrients and foods - such as saturated fats - to create compounds that can not be absorbed into the body. In one study, a group of people getting approximately 1,000 mgs. of calcium a day from fortified foods and 1,000 mgs from supplements excreted twice as much saturated fats as people getting lower amounts of calcium. They also had an 11% drop in harmful LDL cholesterol.
The causes of high blood pressure, such as above 140/90 mmHg are largely unknown. Diseases affecting the kidneys, adrenals or other glands can occasionally raise blood pressure, but most often, high bloos pressure happens for unknown reasons.
Women who are overweight, have diabetes, are African-American or taking birth control pills carry the greatest risk of getting high blood pressure. High blood pressure is very common among women. According to the American Heart Association, if you are between the ages of 35 and 55, chances are about one in four that you have it, while nearly one out of two women over 55 have it.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease, kidney failure and stroke.
Many studies have found that calcium supplements typically 800-1,500 mg daily lowers high blood pressure. While doctors do not know the exact mechanism of calcium action, I suspect it involves the regulation of sodium and potassium levels in the body. Interactions between dietary nutrients are critical in the affect of calcium on the blood pressure, paticularly sodium and potassium.