Beyond Calcium: The Essential Nutrients for Strong Bones

Many believe strong bones are built solely on calcium. This misconception, often referred to as "The Calcium Lie," can lead to an incomplete approach to bone health. While calcium is important, it's just one piece of the puzzle.

A Symphony of Nutrients

This article explores 19 essential nutrients that work together to build and maintain strong bones:
Minerals:

• Boron (B): Ensures efficient utilization of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D to form bone in the body.
• Copper (Cu): Crucial for collagen formation and bone mineralization.
• Fluoride (F): Strengthens minerals in bones and teeth.
• Magnesium (Mg): Enables vitamin D to transport calcium into bones.  Also, as Dr. Oz says, it’s important to take Ca and Mg together since calcium alone can cause constipation, whereas magnesium will prevent this side effect.[9]
• Manganese (Mn): Supports collagen formation and bone mineralization.
• Phosphorus (P): Partners with calcium for strong bones.
• Potassium (K): Maintains proper pH levels and a healthy sodium-to-potassium ratio, both influencing bone mass.[1,13]
• Silica (Si): Aids in calcium crystallization.
• Zinc (Zn): Contributes to the collagen framework of bones.

Vitamins:

• Vitamin A: Essential for proper development of bone-building osteoblasts.
• Vitamin C: Necessary for the formation of bone collagen.
• Vitamin B6: Supports strong bones.
• Vitamin B12: Crucial for osteoblast function in bone building.
• Vitamin D: Enables calcium and phosphorus incorporation into bones.
• When taking oral vitamin D, consider supplementing with vitamin K2 for proper calcium distribution and to avoid potential artery hardening.[13]
• Vitamin K (K2): Crucial for incorporating mineral crystals into the collagen matrix.
• Folic Acid: Helps prevent bone demineralization.

Other Macronutrients:

• Essential Fatty Acids: Maintain a healthy collagen matrix and support normal bone mineralization.
• Protein: A moderate amount is vital for the collagen matrix in bones.

Are Calcium Supplements Effective? (YouTube link)

Balance is Key

Not only are all these nutrients essential, but their proportions also matter. For example, while vitamin A is crucial, an excess can increase fracture risk.

Building Strong Bones Through Diet

The good news is you can obtain most of these nutrients through a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes.[1] These plant foods are a treasure trove of bone-building essentials, with the exception of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 can be found in fortified cereals and animal products like milk, cheese, eggs, salmon, sardines, or beef. However, the needs are minimal, and one or two servings of animal foods per month can suffice.

By incorporating this broader perspective on bone health, you can empower yourself to build and maintain a strong, resilient skeleton.

References

1. Building Bone Vitablity by Amy Joy Lanou, Ph.D. and Michael Castleman.
2. Diet and osteoporosis by Wachman A and Bernstein DS. Lancet. 1968 May 4;1(7549):958-9.
3. The Best Exercises for Healthy Bones
4. The Whole-Food Guide to Strong Bones by Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D.
5. Acid-Alkaline Balance (Travel and Health)
6. Silica and Your Body
7. Drinking Milk— It's Pros and Cons
8. 60岁以上国人 半数有关节痛(Singapore)
9. Dr. Oz’s 3 Key Supplements
10. Too Much Thyroid Hormone Increases Risk for Bone Fractures (Annals of Internal Medicine)
11. 6 Health Risks of Calcium Supplements
12. How Much Daily Iodine Intake Is Enough?
13. Specially Fermented Vegetables and Fennel are More Effective Than Calcium to Prevent Bone Loss
14. The Calcium Lie by Dr. Robert Thompson
15. Potent inhibitory effect of Foeniculum vulgare Miller extract on osteoclast differentiation and ovariectomy-induced bone loss.
16. Check out "Normal Calcium Metabolism" in this article.
17. Dr. Bahram H. Arjmandi discusses how dried plums (prunes) may increase bone density
• In the context of adequate Ca and Vitamin D, dried plums may reverse osteoporosis.
18. The Little-Known Vitamin Essential to Your Health
19. Nutritional Aspects of Osteoporosis
20. Japanese fermented soybean food as the major determinant of the large geographic difference in circulating levels of vitamin K2: possible implications for hip-fracture risk.
21. Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Harm Bone Health
22. 10 Things Your Doctor Won’t Tell You About Your Bones
23. Strength Training Promotes Bone Health In Men (Video)
24. Vitamin K Nutrition, Metabolism, and Requirements: Current Concepts and Future Research
25. Vitamin K Deficiency Is Associated with Incident Knee Osteoarthritis
26. Osteoporosis prevention and nutrition
• In addition to dairy, fruit and vegetable intake has emerged as an important modifiable protective factor for bone health. Several nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K, several B vitamins, and carotenoids, have been shown to be more important than previously realized.
27. Nationwide data on municipal drinking water and hip fracture: could calcium and magnesium be protective? A NOREPOS study
28. 13 Strange and Interesting Facts About Your Bones (Infographic)
29. Cooking With Beans & Legume (Dr Andrew Weil)
30. Osteoporosis (Dr Michael Greger)
31. The Risks and Benefits of Calcium Supplements (Dr Michael Greger)
32. How Do Your Bones Change Over Time?
33. For healthy bones: Got prunes? Onions? Salmon? Walnuts?