Osteoporosis - Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and Treatments

Osteoporosis is one of those modern "diseases" that some holistic practitioners and commentators argue should probably not be described as a disease at all. What most Western doctors describe as osteoporosis is the condition of having brittle bones. The World Health Organization describes the condition as having a bone mineral density (BMD)of more than 2.5 standard deviations below peak bone mass. By that reckoning, if your BMD is 2.4 standard deviations, you do not have osteoporosis; no "disease". At 2.5 it suddenly turns into a disease.

It is probably best to think of osteoporosis simply as a deterioration of bone mineral density to a level where bones are brittle and can fracture easily. That is not to diminish the seriousness of the condition. If your bones break too easily, then life becomes far more hazardous and potentially dangerous, so whether you call it a disease or not, it needs to be considered and addressed by you and your medical practitioner, whether a naturopath or Western style doctor.

What Causes Osteoporosis?

As with most things medical, research is ongoing, and new findings emerging all the time, some of which may become discredited or counteracted over time. However, given the close link between menopause and an increased risk of osteoporosis, and the higher incidence of the condition in men and women, it is probably not in question that a decline in estrogen levels, as women experience during menopause is a contributory factor.

It has been generally assumed that calcium deficiency has been the main cause of osteoporosis, along with a decline in estrogen. However, there seems to be more to it than that. A recent study by Jane Lukacs of the University of Michigan School of Nursing suggested that insufficient vitamin k is a factor in osteoporosis too. However, as you would expect, not everyone would agree with that conclusion.

Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis

A diet rich in vitamins C and D, and calcium, whether through healthy foods such as nuts and vegetables, or supplements, are probably a sensible approach to take in preventing osteoporosis. This is especially so now that a recent study at Creighton University School of Medicine in Nebraska has revealed massive benefits in cancer prevention by taking vitamin D and calcium supplements. That study revealed a 60% reduction in various cancers when these supplements were used over a four year period, 77% if only the last 3 years of the study were taken into account.

The Canadian government quickly started a nationwide campaign for vitamin D and calcium supplementation to prevent cancer. It will be interesting to see if this has a side effect of reducing osteoporosis too. Time, and study, will tell.

It is important to remember that the decline in bone density can take place over a long period, so diet in childhood, and calcium deficiency in particular, can be a major factor in later bone mineral density problems.

Another important preventative measure is exercise, through childhood right through to menopause and beyond. However, it is never too late to exercise, and weights have been found to improve key areas of muscle strength and also bone density. Light ladies weights are fine for this purpose.

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