Calcium and Vitamin D for bone density

Posted by ellerbracke @ellerbracke, Oct 1, 2019

A recent bone density test came back in the low average range for my age. My OBGYN recommended calcium and vitamin D. I checked with a family member who is a pharmacist, and she says that the benefits of calcium supplements are not clear cut. Regarding vitamin D, I’m in the sunbelt, and spend at least 2 hours per day outdoors during 8 to 9 months a year (early morning, or evening, sun screen between 10 AM and 5 PM if applicable for pool, beach, for example). I’m sure many people on this forum have done their own research regarding the benefits of calcium pills, and I would love to hear what the current consensus is. I exercise regularly, so my bones get a workout from the muscles pulling on them, if that makes a difference. I think the data I was given is that statistically I have an 8% chance of a hip fracture in the next decade, based on the test results.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Osteoporosis & Bone Health Support Group.

@egrolman

I was told by my doctor that walking was not considered weight-bearing and that I should either wear a weighted vest while walking or use weights.

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I had a 10 lb. weighted vest which I gave up because I read they can cause compression fractures. I walk or pedal for cardiac benefit, and also do strength/weight training exercises especially for osteoporosis and use a whole body vibration exercise machine

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I wondered about that same issue. I was injured while in a plane (long story) and have four herniated discs which, thankfully, don't hurt after a lot of physical therapy and acupuncture. But I was warned to not carry heavy stuff, then or later. I don't see how a weighted vest wouldn't put extra pressure on the spine and shoulders, an area that already carries extra weight. How do you like the whole body vibration machine and what kinds of results are you seeing? I'm looking into the smaller, portable ones as they just, intuitively, sound beneficial. And a friend's through-and-through broken neck was helped heal by a collar generating ultrasound. They're not the same technology, but similar as energy waves.

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@irr4et

I just want to say I have read over and over that the best for of calcium that bones can utilize is an algae form of calcium plus Algae based Magnesium, Vit D3, K2 and Boron. I plan to add Strontium also.

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What calcium and VitaD did you buy? There are so many out there but I think some are not good for you.

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@rexsan20

What calcium and VitaD did you buy? There are so many out there but I think some are not good for you.

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I bought Algaecal There will be more companies jumping in there to make/sell algae calcium, Mag, K2, Vit D if not already. We could check supplement stores.

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One more thing I should have said, I always try to avoid capsules with Magnesium Stearate, silicon Dioxide and I make sure the capsule is Cellulose. Make sure it’s gluten free.

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@egrolman

I was told by my doctor that walking was not considered weight-bearing and that I should either wear a weighted vest while walking or use weights.

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I understand that walking is a weight bearing exercise. Any more opinions on that?

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@irr4et

One more thing I should have said, I always try to avoid capsules with Magnesium Stearate, silicon Dioxide and I make sure the capsule is Cellulose. Make sure it’s gluten free.

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There are probably millions of claims - on the internet, TV, blogs, in magazines - for this supplement vs that supplement...
We need to do our research because so many are either promotions, puffery, or one person's opinion.
When considering supplement which to use, whether calcium or any other, we must rely on scientifically valid research, done by qualified medical or scientific personnel, which actually test the effectiveness and safety of each product, including reporting unbiased results from unbiased studies.
AlgaeCel and many other "new" products have not been proven to have better results than the cheaper, older versions in real studies - https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/news/news-items/2020/january/is-algae-a-good-source-of-calcium.aspx They just cost a lot more.
So, if you want to know what to use, look for unbiased, peer-reviewed studies comparing the advertised product to the old stand-by ones. Over a significant period of time (year or longer.) Among a large and diverse group (not 25 people they selected.) Make sure real, tested berfore-and-after numbers are reported.
Jumping off the soap box now.
Sue

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@sueinmn

There are probably millions of claims - on the internet, TV, blogs, in magazines - for this supplement vs that supplement...
We need to do our research because so many are either promotions, puffery, or one person's opinion.
When considering supplement which to use, whether calcium or any other, we must rely on scientifically valid research, done by qualified medical or scientific personnel, which actually test the effectiveness and safety of each product, including reporting unbiased results from unbiased studies.
AlgaeCel and many other "new" products have not been proven to have better results than the cheaper, older versions in real studies - https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/news/news-items/2020/january/is-algae-a-good-source-of-calcium.aspx They just cost a lot more.
So, if you want to know what to use, look for unbiased, peer-reviewed studies comparing the advertised product to the old stand-by ones. Over a significant period of time (year or longer.) Among a large and diverse group (not 25 people they selected.) Make sure real, tested berfore-and-after numbers are reported.
Jumping off the soap box now.
Sue

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Point we'll taken. However it is hard to know which company's supplements are worth taking as there is no national testing done for quality. The FDA will report or fine a company when it finds toxic or illegal ingredients in a product of fraudulent health claims, but that's about it. I try to stay with the companies that have been in business for years and sell products interstate as the interstate distribution carries some Federal commerce protection. I generally stay away from products from new, small companies ever since the contaminated pet food scandal a while back revealed the widespread poisonings due to ingredients sourced from China that were contaminated with melamine if I recall correctly. Most of the large, national manufacturers had few-to-no products recalled but a lot of trendier, boutique pet food makers were revealed to be totally reliant on dubiously-sourced contaminated 'meat' by-products. And there's even less reporting now on contaminants from abroad under political pressure to downplay such things.

One other caveat, and this relates to any seemingly exaggerated claims for any product, many of which are now generated by artificial intelligence cheaply, look at when the writer joined up and other comments by the writer. If the writer joins and posts a rave about a product within a day and doesn't post anywhere else, or on any other thread, the odds are its a covert ad (e,g., a handful of the posts about how incredible OsteoStrong is....just saying). The ads are getting harder to spot but have a pattern and similar syntax and grammar. Now I'll get off of my soap box and hope OsteoStrong artificial intelligence software doesn't target me using a handful of new ID'S, lol. Caveat emptor!

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I'd like to add another caveat emptor. It's a good idea to check on doctors' income or gifts from pharmaceutical and medical equipment makers. There are a few websites that track this information including one through ProPublica. This is not illegal or wrong, as long as it's public information, but a friend's doctor was insistent that he take a new drug, while he was happy with the one he was on. He checked and found that she earned over $200,000 annually for 'speaker's fees' for the start-up manufacturer owned by a started by a hedge fund to sell a patent it obtained cheap during a buy-out. This isn't common, I assume, but conflicts of interest do occur. [The drug was subsequently pulled from the market by the FDA for having undisclosed, bad side effects.] Apologies for the long posts but I wrote a thesis on thus stuff once and the research was an eye-opener. Caveat emptor applies to all financial decisions, including medical.

PS here's to the ProPublica (a non-profit) "Dollars for Doctors" site:

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/
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@callalloo

I wondered about that same issue. I was injured while in a plane (long story) and have four herniated discs which, thankfully, don't hurt after a lot of physical therapy and acupuncture. But I was warned to not carry heavy stuff, then or later. I don't see how a weighted vest wouldn't put extra pressure on the spine and shoulders, an area that already carries extra weight. How do you like the whole body vibration machine and what kinds of results are you seeing? I'm looking into the smaller, portable ones as they just, intuitively, sound beneficial. And a friend's through-and-through broken neck was helped heal by a collar generating ultrasound. They're not the same technology, but similar as energy waves.

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Hi @callalloo I studied the Whole Body Vibration Machines on Amazon and bought the Eilison Bolt. It is 11 lbs., a light weight that I can move fairly easily, has a five year warranty and three programs for building bone density (they claim). (With osteoporosis, the directive is don't lift more than 20 lbs.) The Bolt also works on carpet with a yoga mat placed underneath it. I've been doing two 15 minute bone density programs twice a day since August. So far, it's firmed my muscles. I won't be eligible for another Dexa scan for a year, and most studies of whole body vibration machines put participants with low bone density on them for two 15 minute sessions five times a week for a year, so if it does work, it will take time. After I gave up my weighted vest, I made a weighted belt with two one pound ankle weights and one 2.5, but my rheumatologist said that could cause spinal fractures so I gave up pursuing anything along those lines.

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