“Your results are excellent! Most doctors think that you cannot generally increase bone density without drugs.”
These were my words to a 63-year-old female patient (I will refer to as Danna). She had a history of osteopenia, which refers to mild bone loss. In recent years Danna was at increased for further bone loss due to the long-term use of the drug prednisone for an autoimmune condition. Prednisone is notorious for causing bone loss when used long-term.
Over the past several years, Danna has been diligent with the essentials of a bone-building regimen. Like her program, one must include resistance training and a diet that provides the nutrient and blood pH for bone health (unlike the standard American diet rich in phosphoric acid, caffeine, salt, sugars, and nutrient-depleted fast foods) that cause bone loss. (Listen to my radio show interview on the subject at: https://www.markstengler.com/blog/episode-202-are-you-acidic-or-alkaline).
Also, the idea that consuming calcium-rich cow’s milk is the key to building bone has been debunked in major medical journals (see my article on the subject at: https://www.markstengler.com/blog/drink-more-milk-and-break-more-bones).
In addition, I had Danna take our Bone Plus supplement, which contains an array of bone-building minerals such as calcium, magnesium potassium, manganese, D3, K1, K2, Turmeric extract, MSM, and a blend of superfoods. The research is clear: most children and adults do not meet their daily needs of calcium, K2, potassium, magnesium, and K2.
Also, for maximum effect, I had her supplement our Silica Wellness. Silica is an interesting mineral as the third most abundant trace element in the body after iron and zinc. Silica, also supplemented as silicon, has been shown to play a role in bone and connective tissue formation. A published study involving this same form of silica (as contained in Silica Wellness) was conducted with women who had osteopenia who also supplemented calcium 1000 mg and vitamin D3 (800 IU). The study results demonstrated an increase in markers for bone formation and hip bone density in women with osteopenia supplementing calcium 1000 mg and vitamin D3 (800 IU). And lastly, Danna takes our vitamin D3+K2 combination for optimal doses of these bone-building powerhouses. Vitamin D helps with intestinal calcium absorption, and K2 directs calcium to the bone tissue.
Since her last bone density test three and a half years ago, Danna’s spine bone density had a relative improvement of 50% and her hip bone density increased by 39%. This result is something I have witnessed with many other patients. There is no doubt that a well-rounded, holistic approach can support bone density.
Dr. Mark Stengler NMD, MS, is a bestselling author in private practice in Encinitas, California, at the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine. His newsletter, Dr. Stengler’s Health Breakthroughs, is available at www.markstengler.com and his product line at www.drstengler.com
Spector, T.D., Calomme, M.R., Anderson, S.H. et al. Choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid supplementation as an adjunct to Calcium/Vitamin D3 stimulates markers of bone formation in osteopenic females: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 9, 85 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-9-85
