Cause: Inadequate intake of calcium and phosphate, both of which are needed for bone formation, is a major cause of this disease, which is most common in older women. Another major cause of osteoporosis is hormonal deficiencies - estrogen in women and androgen in men. Many factors are now known or suspected to accelerate the rate of bone loss. These include smoking, alcohol, low calcium intake, excessive phosphorus intake (such as found in soft drinks), lack of exercise, various medications, and several medical illnesses. Risk factors include menopause for women, family history of osteoporosis, smoking, eating disorders, high caffeine intake and diets low in calcium.

Useful Supplements: Calcium, Copper, Ipriflavone, Isoflavones, Genistein, Trace Minerals, DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone), Folate, Vanadium, Boron, Magnesium, Manganese, Silicon, Strontium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Zinc.

Useful Herbs: Horsetail.

Treatment: The most effective means of prevention is to have adequate dietary calcium throughout life, along with a generally balanced diet. Regular exercise may also be helpful, especially resistance training which has a greater effect on bone density. In post-menopausal women, estrogen replacement may be advisable; ask a medical professional.

The following supplements and herbs may be helpful in the treatment of osteoporosis:
1. Calcium and Vitamin D
As we have stated, calcium is necessary to build and maintain bone. There is good evidence that calcium supplements may be able to slow the progression of osteoporosis. A combination of calcium and vitamin D may be able to produce even better effect. Vitamin D is necessary to absorb the calcium. Numerous studies indicate that calcium supplements can help prevent and slow osteoporosis.1 Beneficial effects include reduction of bone loss in every bone site except the spine. Calcium supplementation at the recommended doses appears to be able to reduce bone loss in postmenopausal women in every bone site except the spine.2,3,4 When vitamin D is taken along with calcium the results are better than calcium alone.5 In fact, combination treatment may slow osteoporosis in the spine, and in some cases reverse osteoporosis. It may also protect against bone loss caused by corticosteroid drugs such as prednisone.6,7 When calcium is taken along with estrogen, additonal benefits may be seen.8
Dosage
Currently recommended dietary intake of calcium is as follows: 210 to 270 mg daily for infants; 500 to 800 mg daily for children 1 to 8 years old; 1,300 mg daily for children and young adults 9 to 18 years old; 1,000 mg of calcium per day for adults 19 to 50 years old; and 1,200 mg per day for adults 51 years and over. Pregnant or nursing women should take 1,000 mg (unless they are under 19 years of age, in which case the dosage is 1,300 mg). Calcium dosage should be divided throughout the day, as your body can absorb only about 500 mg of calcium at any one time.9 The most bioavailable (best absorbed) is calcium citrate malate, and this is the form that should be used to optimize results.10,11,12 Vitamin D should be taken at a dosage of 400 to 700 IU per day.
Safety
Calcium intake of up to 2000 mg per day is considered safe unless you have one of the following conditions: sarcoidosis, hyperparathyroidism, kidney stones or cancer. If you have any of these conditions, both calcium and Vitamin D should be used under the direction of a physician.
2. Isoflavones
Isoflavones are water-soluble chemicals found in many plants. Some isoflavones have activity in the human body similar to estrogen and are therefore known as phytoestrogens. Genistein and daidzein are the two isoflavones that have undergone the most research. They are found in soy products and the herb red clover. Isoflavones appear to offer many benefits, including help against osteoporosis.

Studies in humans have shown that when compared to placebo, patients taking soy isoflavones showed reduced bone loss from the spine, and even showed significant gains in spinal bone density. These studies suggests that soy isoflavones may be effective for osteoporosis. 13,14

Animal data also support these findings.17-23 Whereas estrogen and other medications may work by decreasing bone breakdown, it appears that the major effect of isoflavones is to help rebuild the bone. 24,25

Dosage
Most experts recommend 25 to 60 mg of soy isoflavones daily. This may be taken as a supplement, or found in food. Roasted soybeans have the highest isoflavone content: about 167 mg for a 3.5-ounce serving. Tempeh is next, with 60 mg, followed by soy flour with 44 mg. Processed soy products such as soy protein and soy milk contain about 20 mg per serving. It is not clear if red clover isoflavones have similar beneficial effects.
Safety
The bulk of the evidence seems to indicate that soy and isoflavones are very safe.26 Some have raised concerns about their estrogenic effects,27 and interaction with thyroid hormone 28,29,30. For these reasons, it is recommended that people at risk for breast cancer and those with thyroid problems avoid soy. However, this is not universally regarded as definitive at this time. Some studies have suggested that intensive use of soy products by pregnant women may exert a hormonal influence on the developing fetus.31,32
3. Ipriflavone
Dosage
Studies have shown that the optimal dose of ipriflavone is 200 mg 3 times daily or 300 mg 2 times daily. (A lower dose is necessary for those with kidney failure. Please consult your physician.) A calcium supplement providing 1,000 mg of calcium daily should also be taken (in divided doses, as noted above)
Safety
Ipriflavone, like isoflavones, are considered quite safe. However, ipriflavone may decrease white blood cell counts in patients with immune deficiency, as.41,42

It should also be used with caution in patients with liver and kidney disease. 43. Those with peptic ulcer disease should probably not take ipriflavone. 44

Drug Interactions Ipriflavone may interact with the following medications, and should be used with caution or under a doctor's supervision: theophylline.45-47 tolbutamide (a drug for diabetes), phenytoin (used for seizures), and Coumadin (a blood thinner).48

4. Other Proposed Treatments for Osteoporosis
DHEA: Evidence is accumulating that the hormone DHEA may be helpful for fighting osteoporosis. The effects appear to be most pronounced in women over 70 years old.49-52
Vitamin K: Vitamin K may help prevent osteoporosis, but the evidence is at this point suggestive and preliminary. The optimal dosage is not known, but seems to be more than 100 mcg. per day. 53-59
Boron: The specific pharmacology and importance of boron as part of bone metabolism is still being evaluated. Boron appears to affect the metabolism of important bone building nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, copper, and phosphorus as well as vitamin D.60 Some research suggests that boron might affect bone and joint health. Research has shown that boron can reduce loss of calcium in the urine. However, boron may affect estrogen and testosterone metabolism.
Other Nutrients:
Other supplements have also been suggested as useful for the prevention or reversal of osteoporosis, including copper, folate, horsetail, magnesium, manganese, strontium, vanadium, and vitamin B12. The support for these as specific remedies of osteoporosis is not clear, and at this time they cannot be strongly recommended specifically for osteoporosis prevention. However, some studies have shown that adding various trace minerals (zinc, 15 mg; copper, 2.5 mg; and manganese, 5 mg) along with calcium and vitamin D seems to produce further improvement in osteoporosis prevention. 61,62
5. Protein Intake:
Opponents of high protein intakes frequently site the "acid load" of a high protein diet as detrimental to osteoporosis, stating that excess acid in the diet causes calcium to leach out of bones. However, two studies have refuted this theory. One large observational study suggested that the greater the intake of animal protein, the lower the risk of osteoporosis. 63 Additionally, another study done in a double-blind fashion revealed that protein was actually found to protect the bone. 64
6. Progesterone
Although lab data pointed to the possibility that progesterone would be useful in osteoporosis prevention, 65,66 two well done studies have found no benefit to the use of progesterone.67,68.

Further information: Osteoporosis is characterized by the lost of bone density and thinning of bone tissue. It happens when the body stops forming enough new bone or when too much old bone is reabsorbed by the body. Inadequate intake of calcium and phosphate, both of which are needed for bone formation, is a major cause of this disease, which is most common in older women.
Another major cause of osteoporosis is hormonal deficiencies – estrogen in women and androgen in men.
Risk factors include menopause for women, family history of osteoporosis, smoking, eating disorders, and diets low in calcium.
In most cases, the first sign of the disease is when a fracture occurs and an x-ray reveals the loss of bone density. At this point, it is almost impossible to reverse the damage already caused. Treatment consists of attempts to slow or stop the bone deterioration, and treatment of associated pain.
The most effective means of prevention is to have adequate dietary calcium throughout life, along with a generally balanced diet. Regular exercise may also be helpful. In post-menopausal women, estrogen replacement may be advisable; ask a medical professional.
Diets high in animal proteins appear to increase the risk of bone fractures.¹
Lifestyle changes that may help delay or prevent bone loss include stopping smoking² and getting regular exercise.³

The following supplements and herbs may be helpful in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis:

Calcium supplements are helpful both as a preventive measure and in the treatment of osteoporosis.⁴ Taken with Vitamin D to increase absorption,⁵ 800 to 1200 mg daily is an effective supplemental dose. Calcium should not be taken by patients with kidney stones.

Calcium may reduce the body’s absorption of Magnesium and Zinc. Since both of these nutrients are also important in the prevention of osteoporosis, supplementation may be necessary.^6,7 Magnesium should not be taken by patients with liver disease.

Copper, taken in a dose of 3 mg daily, may be helpful in the prevention of bone loss.⁸

Other minerals which may help prevent osteoporosis include Boron,⁹ Manganese,¹⁰ Silicon,¹¹ and Strontium.¹²

Several B vitamins – Folic Acid, B6, and B12 – reduce blood levels of homocystene. Since high homocystene levels appear to contribute to osteoporosis, taking these B vitamins may be an effective preventative measure.¹³

Vitamin K, needed for bone formation, is often deficient in osteoporosis patients.¹⁴ Supplementation of 1 mg daily can prevent some calcium loss.¹⁵ Vitamin K should not be taken by patients who are using anticoagulants.

Horsetail, an herb rich in Silicon, may be effective in treating osteoporosis.

References:

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