Calcium, Vitamin D, and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones gradually loose calcium and other minerals over time. The net result is that the bone becomes week, often resulting in spinal and hip fractures. The fractures are painful and often result in the "hunched over" appearance that many women suffer from. This picture is an x-ray image of a compression fracture in the spine.

Women are much more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, but the condition can still be debilitating in men. Women who undergo complete hysterectomies are even more at risk, since the loss of normal female hormones accelerates bone loss.

There are some medications that have been shown to aid in bone strength, such as Phosomax and Boniva. There are some indications, however, that long term use of these medications actually increases the risk of bone fracture.

Calcium and Magnesium are the most prevalent minerals in healthy bone.  Vitamin D is essential for helping in the absorption of Calcium in the intestines, and for the depositing of Calcium in the bone.  The RDA for vitamin D is 400 iu per day, but some experts believe that this should be increased to as much as 2000-4000iu per day.

In the past, I have always recommended that my patients take additional amounts of Vitamin D and Calcium Citrate if they begin to develop osteoporosis, but there is increasing evidence that preventative care is more affective.  Young teenage women should take healthy doses of Calcium, Magnesium, and Vitamin D, in particular between the ages of 9-13. By doing so, they can decrease their risks of developing osteoporosis later in life by 40% or more.  Prevention is the best medicine.

If you have young women, do them a favor and start them on Calcium, Magnesium, and Vitamin D supplements. While you are at it, give it to your young boys as well. The teenage years are when bone strength can be affected the most, yet it is often the very time that they become picky eaters.

Heart Burn Medication Increases Bone Fracture Odds

All medications have risks, period.  It is as simple as that. Some of the negative affects of medications are known and published. Other unwanted affects of any currently marketed medication will only be revealed after the lab rats (you and me) take it over a long enough period of time, thus providing sufficient data regarding the risks and benefits of a the medication. Once enough data is accumilated, one or more actions will be taken:

1) Additional warnings will be placed on the medication label regarding the newly discovered risks.
2) Additional medications will be developed and prescribed in order to counter the negative affects of the drug.
3) The drug will be recalled, and taken off the market. (but don't worry, another one is being developed and marketed!)

A recent article on MSN Health and Fitness proves my point. The article discusses the newly reported risks of many of the current medications used for the treatment of heart burn symptoms (note that I said the treatment of the heart burn symptoms, not the cause...). The FDA is currently warning that PPI medications, or Protein Pump Inhibitors, can cause an increased risk of broken bones, or "fractures" in the spine, hip, and wrist. It is thought that the PPI's reduce stomach acidity, thus interfering with the absorption of Calcium. Calcium is best absorbed in an acid environment. That is why TUMS for calcium is such a blatant marketing lie! The offending PPI's include the drugs esomeprazole (Nexium)), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid)), lansoprazole (Prevacid)), pantoprazole (Protonix)), and rabeprazole (Aciphex)). The course of action taken by the FDA in this case is to leave the medications on the market, but to place a new warning on the label. The outcry of victims must become deafening before these drugs are terminated and new chemicals are produced and marketed. Then the cycle will repeat itself... New miracle drug, followed by possible links to negative side affects, followed by definite risks, but not bad enough to take action, and finally serious links to serious health risks followed by the drug being recalled.

So, what is a gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) sufferer to do?  How about taking these steps that actually promote health, improve digestion, and reduce the symptoms of gastric reflex?


1) Eat less.
2) Loose weight.
3) Eat earlier in the afternoon.
4) Eat foods with natural digesting enzymes, like pineapple and papaya.
5) Add enzyme supplements and possibly even hydrochloric acid supplements at mealtime (this aids in digestion, unlike medications which slow digestion down. The HCL acid should not be supplemented without direction from your physician or chiropractor)
6) Exercise regularly.


Whenever possible, natural and health promoting alternatives to medications are the preferred course of action. The dirty little secret regarding medication is that it will always have negative health affects. The only way to avoid them is through minimizing the amount that you take.