A condition whereby the bone becomes brittle and weak, developing tiny holes, and causing the potentiality of fracture — that is osteoporosis. This is the dis-ease that works silently and stealthily — causing no pain — until suddenly, there is a fracture! I have found osteoporosis, and its forerunner osteopenia, are caused by the most fascinating of reasons. And it’s not a need for more dietary calcium, as is widely believed amongst allopathic practitioners.
Our liver is the singular, largest organ within our body. Its priority is to store, to detoxify and to produce bile. This bile is stored in the gallbladder, ready to be triggered into the bile duct when especially fat is ingested. If the bile provided for fat breakdown is insufficient, then the fat remains undigested, causing a cascade of malfunction initiating in the small intestines, then in other parts of the body. When fat is not absorbed, a mineral like calcium is not absorbed either. This is because the body needs fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin D, to adequately absorb calcium. When there is no fat to absorb vitamin D, then there is no vitamin D to adequately absorb calcium! The blood then seeks its necessary requirements of calcium from the bones. This cascade is the birth of osteopenia!
But what causes the liver to malfunction and minimize its production of bile, thus creating the consequences of undigested fat, inadequate vitamin D metabolism; and the ultimate lack of calcium absorption? It is stones formed — intrahepatic stones and gallstones, made up of (the same) calcium deposits, cholesterol and heavy metals, clogging the liver from performing its natural duty. Among the heavy metals, unbound iron is often the greatest offender.
The elderly tend to be set and stubborn in their ways. A stubbornness towards taking calcium is no exception. Someone they love and trusts told them calcium was the best thing for bone and osteoporosis. Be patient with them — I too use to think calcium was the Holy Grail of minerals. But of course, it’s not — I was wrong.
Anyone taking high doses of calcium supplements may soon suffer from depression. They will suffer from depression not because of their osteoporosis, but because an increase in calcium decreases magnesium, and that creates a magnesium to calcium ratio imbalance. A magnesium- calcium imbalance is the root of depression. We should be taking magnesium to regulate calcium, and NOT calcium supplements to regulate anything.
But what is bone?
Bone is a living tissue, breaking down and regenerating itself on a microscopic level at any given moment. It is highly made of protein collagen. Protein collagen is soft, but made harder and flexible by calcium and other minerals. The hardest structure of bone however is mainly made of calcium and phosphorus (phosphate) in a separate mineral combination form called hydroxyapatite. This inorganic hydroxyapatite is what people usually think of when they think of bone.
But even more, what is inside bone?
Bone marrow!
What minerals are in bone marrow?
Vitamin A, vitamin K2, copper, manganese, magnesium, silica, selenium, iron — correct?
Collagen protein and bone marrow are made of many things — the least of which is calcium.
Silica is more important than calcium for bone health, and is needed for bone density, flexibility and even for calcium absorption. Silica, or its more absorbable form — orthosilicic acid — needs stomach acid to work. To those who are taking antacids, beware. Antacids neutralize stomach acid and mineral absorption!
The mineral boron is also well known by science to play an important and critical role in both bone and joint health and proper functioning. Boron activates cells known as osteoblast, which are responsible for creating new material to build new bone.
The main culprit for osteoporosis is an iron toxicity in the liver, wreaking havoc on bile production. Unbound iron may also be leaching into bone marrow and the bone itself, puncturing little holes and making bones brittle. Our diet should only consist of 1 mg of iron per day. Look around the elderly’s kitchen — don’t be surprised to see stuff loaded with enriched wheat flour, which basically means, synthetic iron and synthetic B vitamins. To get rid of this excess iron, you need ionic boron!
Menopausal women are susceptible to osteopenia and osteoporosis due to hormonal levels dropping significantly. Men with low testosterone are also vulnerable to osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Contrary to popular belief, milk may not make the bones strong from calcium. Milk contains phosphorus. Phosphorus competes with calcium for absorption — phosphorus often being in the winner. Be careful with the over-consumption of phosphorus. All forms of sodas are culprit.
So what have we learned? To fix osteoporosis:
We need to fix the liver to jump-start the adequate production of bile again
We need to remove gallstones and intrahepatic stones
We need to stop taking calcium and things that contains synthetic iron such as breakfast cereals.
For liver health and revitalization, an ayurvedic herb called Kutki has been renowned for rejuvenating a dying liver. A bile acid supplement called TUDCA can increase bile flow.
Start taking magnesium (glycinate or malate), vitamin K2-MK7 in the trans form, bioavailable boron (such as Vibrant Health Super Natural Boron), bioavailable silica (such as bamboo extract or Florasil) and something with natural copper in it (like black sesame seeds). These are the critical nutrients needed to build strong bones again. Natural vitamin C contains copper. Acerola or amla are excellent sources.
Though vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption, I recommend obtaining this vitamin naturally, by exposing your bare skin to sunlight around noon — for 20 minutes for light skin people, and up to 1 hour for darker skin. You may also obtain vitamin D from rich food sources, like mushrooms exposed to sunlight, salmon and lichens. Interestingly, taking magnesium will automatically increase your vitamin D absorption — thus calcium absorption!
