What Causes Osteoporosis?

The Wrong Kind of Calcium

Many people are led to think of osteoporosis as a calcium deficiency disease. This is not true. The U.S. has one of the highest rates of osteoporosis in the world, yet is one of the highest consumers of dairy products, which are acclaimed for their high calcium content.

 

It’s not that Americans are not getting enough calcium; the problem is that they are not getting enough of the right kind of calcium.

 

Dairy Products: Negative Calcium Balance

By consuming high amounts of pasteurized dairy products, Americans are losing more calcium than they ingest- ending up with a “negative calcium balance” Due to factors such as this, osteoporosis kills more women every year than cancer of the breast, cervix, and uterus combined.

 

A jaw-dropping 25 million people in this country have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.

 

Weakened Skeletal System

When bones lose density, they are called “porous,” thus the name osteoporosis, meaning “porous bones”. When the bone mass is lost, the bones are weakened and become more susceptible to fracture. Americans suffer more than 1.5 million fractures every year from osteoporosis. It is a widespread problem affecting both men and women, with potentially devastating consequences.

 

Like most other degenerative conditions, osteoporosis is extremely rare among cultures that eat high alkaline traditional plant-based diets.

 

 

Osteoporosis Risk Factors

The human body replaces about 20% of its bone mass every year, but with osteoporosis, more bone is lost than is replaced. Why is this? If your diet is high in calcium depleting foods, such as red meat, pasteurized milk, refined sugar, white flour, soft drinks, and caffeine, but also low in fresh fruits, and vegetables, it’s pretty much guaranteed that there will be bone mass problems.

 

The following are a few key factors that can contribute to bone loss.

 

• Animal protein is metabolized by the body forming two strong acids, sulfuric and phosphoric. To keep the blood ph alkaline, the body needs to neutralize these acids; calcium is the best substance the body has available for this. The most plentiful supply is found in the bone.

 

• Pasteurized milk - For the same reason as meat (high protein), the calcium is leached out of bones and tissue, causing a “negative calcium balance”

 

• White flour/White sugar - Refined carbohydrate products are absorbed too quickly and rapidly increases glucose levels in the cells. This causes incomplete oxidation of glucose, which forms acids. These acids require buffering with calcium leading to bone loss.

 

• Soft drinks - Soda drinks containing phosphoric acid contribute to osteoporosis.

 

• Smoking, Caffeine, Alcohol, Lack of exercise - All of these things intensify bone loss.

 

Osteoporosis Prevention - Plant-Based Sources of Calcium

Besides bone loss, a lack of bone gain creates osteoporosis. Adequate absorption of vitamins and minerals is necessary for the formation of new bone. As you might expect, calcium is a big player in this process. It is usable calcium that forms bones, isolated forms of calcium (citrate, carbonate, lactate, etc.) are not ideal choices.

 

Good sources of bioavailable calcium are found in leafy green vegetables, and many types of fruit. One of the best supplements available today is a product by Premier Research Labs - Coral Legend Plus, which is a plant-based source of natural calcium, supplying the necessary co-factors to ensure proper absorption occurs.

 

Be Well,
Edwin Dossman