In the United States, osteopenia and osteoporosis (low bone density) affect over 40 million US men and women aged 50 and older. That represents over 50% percent of people aged 50 and older. This dramatically increases the risk of disability and dependence on others due to fractures of the vertebrae and hip. While there are drugs like Boniva, Evista, Actonel, and Fosamax, they improve bone density by a paltry 2% a year for a couple of years. The benefit then dwindles or ceases altogether. This is because the root causes of osteoporosis and osteopenia have been overlooked or ignored by your doctor.
Healthy bone goes through a normal process of breakdown and repair. This is governed by cells called osteoclasts and osteoblasts respectively. Accumulation of cadmium can increase the rate of bone breakdown leading to osteopenia and osteoporosis. Once this toxic metal accumulates in the bone, it weakens the bone’s supporting collagen matrix. Cadmium also displaces zinc from the bone which is needed to maintain bone health. In addition to cadmium, accumulation of lead can cause oxidative stress which promotes bone loss.
To make matters worse, uninformed physicians will make the common mistake of prescribing 1000-1500 mg of calcium per day. This increased calcium can displace even more zinc and makes more room for more cadmium. Obviously, this compounds the osteopenia and osteoporosis problem. Furthermore, the extra calcium can also lead to calcification (hardening) of the arteries of the brain and heart. Can you see how the sick can be made sicker by not identifying and treating the root cause?
Comments: If you are a man or woman aged 50 or older, I recommend that you get your bone density checked (click here to learn how). If you are found to have osteopenia or osteoporosis, I recommend that you be checked for heavy metals. This is a crucial step to protect your health and wellbeing.
