What's the evidence on Calcium and Vitamin D for bone density?

Hi @sandyjr, I wanted you to be able to connect with members who have been discussing calcium and vitamin d for bone density. You will see I moved your inquiry to a discussion regarding just that.

I found an article that you might find interesting. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eggshells-benefits-and-risks#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6

Have you known anyone to use eggshells?

I found an excellent article from a medical journal about post-menopausal women using estrogen and progestin (just like me!) for their bones. I'm wondering if it would be worth it for me to type it in here or should I just list it as a reference? I type 130 wpm so typing it in would not be a big deal. I'll just tell you that it works and it only takes a small dose. I believe they said 55 women out of 100 had improved DEXA scores. Some women were over the age of 75 and still it worked! It does increase my chances of breast cancer and heart attack, but I think I have offset that by being off sugar. Another big thing I started doing was taking amino acids. This helps the food we eat to form complete proteins - this is thought to help in the osteoporosis battle. Finally, next time I come across that article that links sugar consumption to osteoporosis, I will type the main points in here.

Hello, Thank you for mentioning estrogen related therapy as a possible option for osteoporosis. I also found an article that I will be discussing with my bone doctor provided by 'The Mayo Clinic" regarding 'Raloxifene'. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/raloxifene-oral-route/precautions/drg-20065760?p=1. I had a t-score of -3.6 2017, age 58. I had to discontinue Forteo after 6 months due to extreme vertigo. I discontinued Prolia after 3 1/2 years due to I developing a hole in my jaw after a dental procedure that was diagnosed as 'MRONJ'. As of 2021 I have t score -3.1, & an appointment to start with Tymlos in 2022. But, if Tymlos doesn't work, I am hoping to keep estrogen therapy as a possible alternative option. Take care!

The score for my forearms is -5.9. I am making remarkable progress considering I have to take steroids for adrenal insufficiency (or go into a coma). As I mentiioned earlier, I am using low-dose estrogen 0.025% patch - and I can cut off 40% of that and only use 60% of that. I have an excellent medical journal article about this - but I cannot find it right now - I have too much other stuff to do. I would never take drugs like Prolia or Forteo or Tymlos for bone loss - they don't work!!! I am loading up with calcium, magnesium, Vitamins D3 and K2, quercetin, boron, sometimes a bit of potassium - and I'm trying to eat it. But when I cannot eat enough of something to get what I need (such as D3 or K2), I take it in pill form and I understand I need to eat fat first. Also, I avoid drugs like Prilosec and Nexiuim and their generic forms because they block calcium from being absorbed. And my osteoporosis is reversing - despite me being on steroids! One after the other - doctors got mad at me and said I was flirting with death if I didn't take Forteo or Recast or Prolia or or or.... But I talked to too many women who had reactions like you did - and it scared me because it seems I get every bad reaction known to mankind. So I am very grateful I am, for the most part, going the natural route with vitamins, minerals, etc. Listen to your body and do as much research as you can. From what I've been able to tell, those bone-building drugs work by not allowing the old bone to exit the body in your urine - instead, it piles up on top of your existing bone and makes it look like bone growth. But if you stop taking it, you pee out that new bone growth quickly. So you have to start another "bone-building" drug immediately - and they are not cheap! The side effects can be horrific. You got the osteonecrosis type of reaction in your jaw and I am so very sorry to hear that. I know some women cannot take any estrogen. If you can take it, let me just say it is a miracle worker. You will have less point pain, less mental confusion, fewer wrinkles, all sorts of pluses - not to mention you will get your bones back. But don't forget the calcium, magnesium, D3, K2, boron, quercetin, etc. It all adds up. I have to wait another year to get another DEXA Scan but I cannot wait to see the new progress. I saw some huge improvement in my back. I have hip replacements and a wrist replacement so cannot measure there. I eat huge arugula salads with slivered almonds on top and some berries and olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressing. I am doing everything I can think of. I need to start the collagen peptides just in case again. I stopped for a while due to the expense. But nothing is more expensive than life in a wheelchair - I don't want to go there. Good luck everybody!!! Just know it is very possible to turn this round. If I find my test - I will post my improvement - but I think I went from -4.1 to -3.7 in my back in two years just by eating better and taking my vitamins and using the patch. My gynecologist was glad I asked for the patch - she said I was a good candidate. She even did the BRACA test on me to be sure I wasn't a risk. If you don't have a family history and you don't have the BRACA gene - you might want to think about using estrogen. Once I am back to a good score, I will go off it and see if I can maintain my bones with nutrition alone. I know it will take time to get my bones back - but the longest journey begins with the first step.

The score for my forearms is -5.9. I am making remarkable progress considering I have to take steroids for adrenal insufficiency (or go into a coma). As I mentiioned earlier, I am using low-dose estrogen 0.025% patch - and I can cut off 40% of that and only use 60% of that. I have an excellent medical journal article about this - but I cannot find it right now - I have too much other stuff to do. I would never take drugs like Prolia or Forteo or Tymlos for bone loss - they don't work!!! I am loading up with calcium, magnesium, Vitamins D3 and K2, quercetin, boron, sometimes a bit of potassium - and I'm trying to eat it. But when I cannot eat enough of something to get what I need (such as D3 or K2), I take it in pill form and I understand I need to eat fat first. Also, I avoid drugs like Prilosec and Nexiuim and their generic forms because they block calcium from being absorbed. And my osteoporosis is reversing - despite me being on steroids! One after the other - doctors got mad at me and said I was flirting with death if I didn't take Forteo or Recast or Prolia or or or.... But I talked to too many women who had reactions like you did - and it scared me because it seems I get every bad reaction known to mankind. So I am very grateful I am, for the most part, going the natural route with vitamins, minerals, etc. Listen to your body and do as much research as you can. From what I've been able to tell, those bone-building drugs work by not allowing the old bone to exit the body in your urine - instead, it piles up on top of your existing bone and makes it look like bone growth. But if you stop taking it, you pee out that new bone growth quickly. So you have to start another "bone-building" drug immediately - and they are not cheap! The side effects can be horrific. You got the osteonecrosis type of reaction in your jaw and I am so very sorry to hear that. I know some women cannot take any estrogen. If you can take it, let me just say it is a miracle worker. You will have less point pain, less mental confusion, fewer wrinkles, all sorts of pluses - not to mention you will get your bones back. But don't forget the calcium, magnesium, D3, K2, boron, quercetin, etc. It all adds up. I have to wait another year to get another DEXA Scan but I cannot wait to see the new progress. I saw some huge improvement in my back. I have hip replacements and a wrist replacement so cannot measure there. I eat huge arugula salads with slivered almonds on top and some berries and olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressing. I am doing everything I can think of. I need to start the collagen peptides just in case again. I stopped for a while due to the expense. But nothing is more expensive than life in a wheelchair - I don't want to go there. Good luck everybody!!! Just know it is very possible to turn this round. If I find my test - I will post my improvement - but I think I went from -4.1 to -3.7 in my back in two years just by eating better and taking my vitamins and using the patch. My gynecologist was glad I asked for the patch - she said I was a good candidate. She even did the BRACA test on me to be sure I wasn't a risk. If you don't have a family history and you don't have the BRACA gene - you might want to think about using estrogen. Once I am back to a good score, I will go off it and see if I can maintain my bones with nutrition alone. I know it will take time to get my bones back - but the longest journey begins with the first step.

I was only making a factual correction and will make it again after this last post: Forteo and Tymlos do not cause osteonecrosis. And you can do your natural regimen after growing bone on those drugs. Keith McCormick wrote a book on natural treatment but that is what he did, and what he suggested to me. Noone is more vulnerable to meds than me, believe me. With spinal fractures, I have no choice. I am in terrible apparently permanent pain from those and don't want more. It's your choice, but I just want to correct factual errors for others who might read your posts.