Wednesday, May 20, 2009

No Bones About It, Bone Health Is Important!

Over 50% of women and 13% of men over age 50 will sustain a fracture related to osteoporosis. Over 10 million Americans have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Although it has been shown that calcium supplementation slows postmenopausal bone loss and may prevent fragility fractures, findings from the Woman’s Health Initiative clinical trial demonstrate the shortcomings of a limited nutritional approach to bone health. This study shows that giving calcium and vitamin D supplements did not reduce hip fractures and only minimally increased bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. At the same time, prescription drugs have not proven particularly successful in treating bone loss.
Bone is in a Constant State of Remodeling
Bone is living tissue that is continually remodeling, a process that primarily consists of resorption (breaking down) and formation. osteoclast cells remove old and damaged bone tissue. The osteoblasts and osteocytes create a new bone matrix—the web-like, micro-architecture of bone— that incorporates minerals to give bone its density and hardness. If healthy remodeling changes with age, new bone growth may occur on a less dense matrix, negatively impacting bone quality and strength. Bone density and bone quality are not interchangeable terms. Bone density = hardness,
Bone Matrix Quality = tensile strength. Bone needs a strong matrix to hold it all together as well as bone hardness.
Bone physiology shifts with age
As a result, postmenopausal bone health needs are different. As a woman enters her fourth decade of life, the ability to maintain peak bone mass declines as resorption and remodeling gradually change. The steady decline of estrogen and other risk factors such as smoking, inactivity, gastrointestinal inflammation or malabsorption, chronic use of antacids and diabetes may contribute to an increase in bone resorption. Research suggests that biomarkers of bone matrix quality and strength are not significantly influenced by mineral intake alone.
Ostera: All natural support for Healthy Remodeling and Cal Apatite: for Healthy Mineralization
Ostera fills the gap in postmenopausal bone support to help women stay vital and active. How? Ostera promotes healthy bone remodeling to favor Bone Matrix Quality and strength in women with low estrogen and is clinically shown to be more effective than diet and exercise alone. Cal Apatite comes in several varieties such as with added Vit. D or magnesium or in capsules, tablets or chewables. They provide a full spectrum of macro and trace minerals including calcium that naturally comprise healthy bone and supports bone mineralization and quality. The combination of these two products provides clinically demonstrated nutritional support for healthy bone mineralization and remodeling to help you stay healthy and active.