Osteoporosis and Scurvy: The Role Vitamins and Nutrients Play in Bone Health

The word on the street is that osteoporosis is due to a lack of calcium or need for vitamin K2. But this is simply not true. Maintaining healthy bones as we get older is a community effort that depends on a number of factors including vitamin status, hormone production, and mineral availability. It’s also a pretty safe bet that a ‘Fosamax’ deficiency isn’t at play either. To say that any single condition or dysfunction is due to one missing nutrient is crazy.  Let’s take a look at what’s really going on.

When calcium is given as a single supplement to reverse osteoporosis, especially calcium ascorbate, it ends up in the muscles of the heart, the heart valves, and the blood vessels, leading to cardiovascular disease. And that’s never a good thing. A healthier option would be to consume a diet rich in green leafy vegetables containing vitamin K2 and plenty of magnesium. This provides your body with the nutrients it needs to transport calcium obtained from the food you eat to where it belongs inside of your body – not in your heart and blood vessels.

Another nutrient deficiency that is rarely discussed when it comes to bone health is vitamin C. Dr. Suzanne Humphries refers to osteoporosis as ‘scurvy of the bone.’ And scurvy is nothing more than a severe vitamin C deficiency.

Food-based vitamin C (not synthetically-derived ascorbic acid) helps to mineralize the bone and stimulates the growth of bone-forming cells. Conversely and more importantly, it prevents bone breakdown by inhibiting cells that absorb bone, leading to increased porosity. And since bones are essentially connective tissue, vitamin C helps to synthesize and create more collagen!

Studies have shown that elderly patients with bone fractures had significantly lower vitamin C levels in their blood than those who hadn’t fractured bones. Additionally, bone mineral density scores were consistently higher for people who supplemented with vitamin C or ensured their diet contained a robust intake of vitamin c foods, independent of estrogen levels.

Working in tandem, there are other important vitamins and minerals such as silica and boron, that help to maintain balance in the bones, allowing for calcium to stay where it’s needed. Boron can be found in mineral-rich foods such as black, lima, mung and kidney beans, snap peas, berries, cherries, onions, walnuts, peaches, cocoa, apples, avocado, pecans, sweet potatoes, and prunes.

Silica-containing foods should be included as often as possible which include melons, cucumbers, artichokes, asparagus, dandelion, and leafy greens. Herbs such as nettle leaf, horsetail, oat straw, and rose hips also contain high levels of this important bone-building mineral. The easiest way to make sure you’re getting enough is to drink a cup of nettle leaf tea every day!

When you have the right nutrients in your diet in the form of concentrated whole-foods your chances of osteoporosis are greatly reduced. If you aren’t sure how to structure your diet to include all of these important foods, let us know. We’ve got several food-based supplements that can fill in the gaps, ensuring you have the right combination of vitamins and minerals to ensure strong, healthy bones for years to come!

Happy Patients

I have had back issues most of my life. Since starting treatments with Dr Greg I have had no more issues. It's such a relief to be able to be physical at the high level I want to be. I am able to maintain wellness by seeing Dr Greg on a regular basis. Thank you Dr Greg!!

Michael L.

Hello! I just want to say that you are truly a healer! After leaving your office last Monday, I was more able to breathe, truly breathe - after having suffered all weekend to take a deep breath due to a "rib out of place" OK - if you say so....all I know is that, though I continued to have a bit of pain in my upper back and neck for a day or two, I could take wonderful, glorious deep breaths thanks to your treatment. Thanks again for all you do! Even if I do make many sound affects while you are treating me - "OUCH!!! Hmmmph!! Ughhh!! Really???" I truly appreciate your healing touch....

MMW

I have had Parkinson's Disease for 8 years.  I have developed arthritis in my back and hips. The stiffness of the Parkinson's and the arthritis has caused me a lot of pain. Because of that unrelenting pain I was unable to exercise. Exercise is an important part of pain management for Parkinson's.  Since I have been seeing Dr. Krapf I am feeling much better and his care has allowed me to begin exercising again, which has improved my overall well being. In the past I have been treated by physical therapists and orthopedists. Dr. Krapf's chiropractic manipulations have had an amazing impact on my health and happiness. I highly recommend Dr. Krapf to anyone who needs excellent chiropractic care and the many alternative therapies he offers. I would say he is magical!

When my friend received excellent care from Dr. Krapf, she recommended him to me. I have had gastrointestinal problems for nearly 50 years that have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease with lactose intolerance. All that, including unrelieved stress had made me unhappy and unhealthy. Today I am a different person with the help of Dr. Greg. The Gastro issues are practically nonexistent, my stress levels have plummeted, and my body is changing. I am so grateful for Dr. Greg and his healing hands.

Mary Ann L.

Our family have been patients of Krapf chiropractic for a few decades. We have several success stories archived. The most recent event involves our youngest son who is completing his senior year of high school. He has been a patient of Krapf Chiropractic (KCA) since birth. He has been an avid soccer player since the age of four and has sustained numerous injuries over the years. Dr. Krapf has successfully assisted in every recovery.

Most recently, he began complaining of his feet hurting while playing soccer. Both feet hurt - particularly the balls of his feet while running and cutting. He came to Dr. Greg with his complaint as this was seriously affecting his game. Dr. Greg evaluated the situation and decided a foot scan should be done. The finding was dropped arches. My son was fitted for orthotics. They arrived within days and he wore these as directed. Within a few short weeks he is now playing full games pain free.

SC

I first called Krapf Chiropractic when my back was so bad that I couldn't get up off the floor. It's been a blessing to have Dr. Greg help me with my overall wellness and health! I find this to be a place where you are not a number and everyone cares. Mollie is always cheerful and reminds me to come. Erin is always smiling and helps relax me when I'm in pain. I would not be functioning if I did not have Krapf Chiropractic to keep me going. As I get older my appreciation deepens, especially when I see people around me who are suffering with back problems. If they only knew how helpful this is. I believe Dr. Greg treats the person not the symptoms. Thank you

Debbie B.

I've been lucky to have exceptional health care from the beginning. At the beginning, seventy-six-plus years ago, Hugh Rodgers brought me into the world in mother and dad's second-floor bedroom in our dairy farm home. Hugh's son, Hugh, Jr., practiced with his dad and beyond caring for my parents, he, also, cared for hundreds of others and me. Roughly forty years ago, a friend suggested I make an appointment with Richard Krapf for help with back-pain. Richard treated the pain that, often, was debilitating, and on Richard's death, his son, Greg became the second second generation to help me from one place to another. I'm grateful to Hugh, Hugh, Richard and, perhaps, most of all, to Greg.

N.C.

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