Is there a supplement that really works?

Thank you for sharing. This journey is pretty scary. I did have a fracture about 6 years ago. and I wasn't doing anything high impact. I will look into the topical estrogen. There are many good books out there also that have strength training exercises you can do at home with bands or weights to supplement your PT.

@debbik I think there are only a modest number of reports of people building bone with nutrition alone. And I believe there are few or no studies showing that this can be done or reliably done for a significant percentage of people. Please note that some of those who have increased DXA scan measurements with "nutrition" are actually taking Strontium Citrate as a "supplement" and that is a whole other topic to wade thru. Whether or not this is a good approach is complicated but it is not using nutrition - it's using a trace mineral in huge amounts as a drug.
Most knowledgeable people seem to think nutrition in general and certainly calcium and vitamin D (and probably vitamin K2) are important but not sufficient to increase bone density. And there is, surprise surprise, disagreement about how to get these nutrients and how much of them to get.

Exercise in the form of heavy resistance training done correctly has been shown in several studies to build bone in the spine and improve some aspects of bone quality in the hips. See Belinda Beck and her LIFTMOR and related studies. Exercise, depending on your situation of course, can generally give more clear cut bone and health improvements than nutrition. That's my opinion but I don't know of any studies trying to investigate that.

@lilacs777 all I can do is google as you have! This is certainly contradictory:

"Boron supplements or high dietary intake of boron may be harmful to people with hormone-sensitive conditions, including breast cancer, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)12. Boron is effective at reducing certain inflammatory markers called cytokines, which have been associated with breast cancer3. Borax, a compound containing boron, shows anti-cancer properties during the treatment of breast cancer by inhibiting DNA replication and blocking the release of estrogen from hormone-producing tissue."

Like you I read all kinds of studies and continue to find contradictions. Boron helps breast cancer (anti-cytokine action?) but enhances the effects of estrogen/improves action of estrogen receptors. I have no idea what to make of this.

The AI's are pretty powerful in reducing estrogen below detectable levels. I remember being concerned about soy when that was written about as another possible source of estrogen or estrogen-like action, and then it was reversed in studies!

All I can say is that I take supplements one at a time- no combinations. If you are looking at Osteonaturals, I would think Dr. McCormick could answer this question for you, or if he doesn't know, he needs to find out and would want to since he has patients- like you and me- who have or had breast cancer.

ps my general impression, made quickly, is that boron may enhance receptors but if the AI reduces estrogen dramatically (from the adrenals) then there is little to no estrogen going to the receptors. This is way beyond me and I am only speculating as an extreme amateur! Ask McCormick!! Or your oncologist! Important question since so many on AI's are concerned about bones. Helpful question!

Thank you so much for this link! I have been overwhelmed trying to read McCormick's GREAT BONES (which I've loaned to a younger friend trying to cope with a very doctrinaire endo) and explain what I've learned so far to friends who can't figure out what to do - but this is the best primer! Dropping my collagen right now since it is probably the source of my anxiety (not the election) and getting only type 1 from his site. It's all here - the mechanics of it all, the options, details of exercise, etc.

So glad it helped. Yes the book is great but can be overwhelming. The collagen thing is interesting and not many people know that. I’m a scientist and even I didn’t know. He’s really helped me to figure out what in my case I need to be doing. He’s very down to earth.

If you can share his interview with any women friends who aren’t using the Mayo site, maybe we can help more women.

Best of luck to you and your bones - Teri

Have already shared it with my high school pals (Class of 1956) who have a monthly Zoom of several hours. Several of them have been diagnosed and had to give up walking rambunctious dogs, etc. but haven't gone much further down the rabbit hole.
I'm also concerned about my granddaughter, who just turned 16 and has yet to get her period. No one has been particularly concerned about this but now she's getting a DEXA and they are talking about the possibility of her having "very early menopause". There's very little online about this phenomenon and I am urging them not to say the word to a 16 year old - and it's not actually correct, since there's no menses so they can't be paused. If that turns out to be the diagnosis I think I will get her to Dr. McCormick.

Where does she live? She needs to see a good pediatric endocrinologist. Depending upon where you are I can possibly recommend someone. I have several colleagues who specialize in that. I could put you touch. I'm at UCSD, but I have colleagues all over the US.

Some girls, if they are very athletic, don't get their period until 16 or even 18.
A bone scan of her hands will tell you if she's stopped growing. Usually, when they start getting their period, they don't grow much more.

Also, the age at puberty has been decreasing owing to obesity and environmental chemicals. So some of there friends may have started their periods and breast development early. A whole different problem,

Let me know if you'd like some names and contact info.

Thank you! I'll find out who she's seeing - it's at UNC Chapel Hill. This was a second appointment and they took more blood and will be proceeding with estrogen patch if nothing else turns up. But this other possibility was mentioned... She's lean and long-legged, and at around 13 suddenly her feet grew to size 11, which I thought would mean she's going to be very tall, but she's not, so far. She's very stressed, and that seems to be one possible cause.
Used to do gymnastics until she got a lump on her wrist that's mysterious. Now she does acrobatics and cheerleading, of all things. I was surprised they didn't mention testing for celiac, but maybe that's not meaningful.

stuffy,
My daughter didn’t get her period until she was 16. Pediatrician said it was because she was under weight which was suppressing estrogen. She finally did get it and all has been normal since.

I'm really glad to hear that... and I do remember back in the 70s I knew two young girls who were late bloomers, quite skinny, and whose doctor prescribed ice cream three times a day. They weren't as keen on this idea as I was, but it worked. My granddaughter looks perfect in the weight department - she likes to bake, but is happy to eat just a little and then forget about her creations. Her very favorite thing to eat, besides seafood, is okra.