Search results for bone loss

Wednesday Bubble: close to the bone

Posted by Liz on Jul 15, 2009 in bone health | 0 comments

Let’s be honest; bone loss is a natural part of aging.

As I’ve written previously, women are at particularly high risk for bone loss as they age because of declining estrogen levels, and in turn, a reduced ability to prevent an increase in net bone resorption (or bone loss due to the activity of bone cells). Although isoflavones (plant derived compounds with estrogen-like properties) have been reported to protect bone from deficiencies in estrogen, there have been little data that show that they can specifically influence resorption.

Hence, I was interested in a small study published in the online edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism examining of four different types of isoflavone supplements on bone resorption. In it, researchers compared supplements containing the isoflavones soy cotyledon (derived from the leaf coating around the seed of the soybean), soy germ (the embryo of the soybean), kudzu and red clover to 1 mg estradiol plus 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone or 5 mg/day of the anti-osteoporosis agent Actonel®.

Study findings showed that the hormones plus progesterone or Actonel significantly decreased net bone resorption by as much as 22% and 24%, respectively. In comparison, only soy isoflavones derived from the cotyledon and germ had a significantly modest effect on reducing bone resorption (by 9% and 5%, respectively), while kudzu and red clover did not.

Clearly, this study, while small, shows that isoflavones can help to prevent bone loss during menopause. However, not all isoflavones are created equal, and source appears to as important as insuring that the product is standardized and manufactured in a licensed facility. What’s also notable about this study is that the researchers did not examine whether or not ingesting the specific isoflavones via food sources would have an equally beneficial effect.

Because it can be difficult to discern which products contain which types of isoflavones and the amounts, it’s best to speak to a nutritionist or a naturopath before supplementing your diet. No bones about it though; the results are promising enough to warrant further study.

What steps are you taking to prevent bone loss as you age? And if you use soy, in what forms are you taking it?

Onions and bones…nothing to cry about

Posted by Liz on Apr 17, 2009 in bone health | 0 comments

I love onions. Red onions, scallions, yellow onions, spring onions, shallots; you name it. Sauteed, raw, caramelized, fried, baked. Yum! So, imagine my pleasure when I stumbled across an interesting study in the July issue of Menopause that shows a link between onion consumption and increased bone density. Yowza!

Okay, so your breath might be a bit ripe but your bones will love you for it!

Although calcium, vitamin D supplements and exercise are effective prevention tools against osteoporosis, they have not been shown to add much in the way of slowing bone loss. To address this hole in therapy, researchers have been looking towards phytochemicals, i.e. natural compounds in plants, to examine if they might increase the activity of bone building cells (osteoblasts) and decrease the activity of cells the breakdown bones (osteoclasts).

Spurred by studies in rats, researchers analyzed the bone density (repeated five times) and onion consumption (from 2 or more times daily to 1 to 6 times a year to never) in 507 perimenopausal and postmenopausal non-Hispanic white women, age 50 and older, participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study. Women were divided  into four groups based on their onion consumption:

• Less once/month
• 2 times a month to 2 times a week
• 3 to 6 times a week
• Once a day or more

Because certain variables are considered risk factors for osteoporosis and could influence study findings, the researchers also measured age, smoking status, calcium intake, use of vitamin D supplements, thyroid hormone levels, intensity of exercise regimens (i.e. none, moderate, vigorous), use of estrogen, and body mass index.

The findings? The more onions the women ate, the greater the increase in their bone density. In fact, women who consumed onions at least once daily had an overall bone density of their spine that was 5% greater than women who consumed onions once a month or less.

What the study didn’t tell us was the quantity (e.g. one cup) and type of onions consumed.

Studies comparing the bone density of smokers and non-smokers at different ages have shown that a bone density difference of 4% can confer a 41% greater risk of hip fracture. So while a 5% difference seems marginal at best, the potential reduction in the risk of fractures is great.

The researchers caution that certain compounds in onions, such as quercetin, have been associated with cancer causing properties. However, they note that animal studies have found no evidence of such problems. Although further study is needed to determine if women who ate onions also consume foods other than onions that might contribute to their reduced risk for osteoporosis, they believe that onions hold great promise as an addition to other measures that prevent osteoporosis.

Me? I’m all for erring on the side of onions. Tears and all!

Bad to da bone, part 2

Posted by Liz on Mar 20, 2009 in bone health | 2 comments

Is there any way to prevent bone loss after menopause? It is possible that eating the proper balance of dietary fats (i.e. omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids) may help.

In a study published a few years ago in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, researchers assessed bone mineral content and bone density in female rats. These measures are used to determine how much bone loss you have in a particular area and the risk for developing osteoporosis. The National Osteoporosis Foundation provides an excellent summary.

In the study, half the rats had their ovaries removed (leading to a rapid decline in estrogen and subsequent bone loss) and half remained intact. They were then fed diets with different ratios of omega-3s and omega-6s. After 12 weeks, data showed that rats with the lowest ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in their diets had significantly less bone loss and a higher bone mineral density, even in the absence of estrogen. This translated to significantly lower bone loss.

Omega-6 fatty acids are most commonly found in foods such as vegetables oils, nuts,  seeds and eggs while omega-3 fatty acids are more commonly found in fatty fish (salmon, mackerel),  nuts (walnuts) and certain vegetable oils. Notably,  eating both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids has been shown to lower the risk of heart and possibly other diseases. However, research continues to point to balance.

These particular findings may be due to the ability of omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the production of inflammatory compounds that associated with the breaking down or “resorption” of bones. Estrogen provides a similar protective effect but after its decline, the body becomes more vulnerable.

While researchers caution that the study results cannot be translated to humans, they certainly look promising.

It’s all about balance, right?!

Bad to da bones

Posted by Liz on Oct 24, 2008 in bone health | 4 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7VsoxT_FUY&feature=related]

Many of us have reached for that third, sometimes fourth glass of wine when out with friends. An occasional trangression never hurts, right?  But for years now, researchers have been warning us to skip those last two glasses. Besides the usual suspects, like breast cancer or stroke, binge drinking (4 or more drinks in a 2 hour period for women, 5 or more for men) can also reduce bone mass and bone strength and consequently, increase the risk for osteoporosis.

Now, for the first time, researchers have identified why binge drinking is bad for da bones – it’s all about genes!

What they found that rats given amounts of alcohol equivalent to binge drinking showed altered expression of two molecular pathways directly responsible for for normal bone metabolism and bone mass. These effects remained even after factors such as body weight or bone mass density were accounted for.

The researchers also found that an anti-bone resorptive agent known as ibandronate was able to correct changes in gene expression., which suggests that alcohol-related bone loss may be correctable. The study was published in the July issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

So, why should you care?

As I’ve written before, women undergoing menopause are already at risk for bone loss and osteoporosis. Binge habits may simply exacerbate this process, leading to an even greater risk.

My grandmother always said “everything in moderation.” She lived to be 90 and was still moving furniture around her apartment in her mid-80s.  That lady was bad to the bone, for sure!

Bones Bones Bones…Again!

Posted by Liz on Aug 26, 2008 in bone health | 1 comment

Something is in the air. Is it the moon moving into Virgo? The end of August, when fruit is ripe and bursting on the vine? What IS IT about late summer that makes me want to hold onto the old and challenge the new?

I’ve uncovered more news about bone loss as it relates to menopause. Early data suggest that fruit, namely Korean raspberries (better known as Rubus coreanus) may hold an important key to preventing bone loss.

Results of a study in rats that appears in the Menopause journal suggests that Rubus coreanus extract prevented bone loss caused by estrogen deficiency by enhancing the function of cells the form bone (osteoclasts) and promoting the death of cells (osteoclasts) that cause bone to break down.

The researchers caution that more study is needed but point to the mineral compositon of Rubus coreanus, which contains potassium, magnesium, and vitamins D and B2. They also suggest that Rubus coreanus extract improves bone density through an antioxidant effect.