Bone Coach - How do you know it works?

Sue, it is a work in progress, but I’m moving forward daily. I switch things up, but a walk daily is non negotiable. I use a weighted vest (I’m finally up to 10lbs, and my goal is the recommended 10% of body weight..so 12lb is my goal.) I alternate days of doing free weights exercise,Fishman Yoga 12 poses and Meeks method exercises. I eat mostly plant based (I’m a vegan for 30+years, but recently stopped ALL added sugar (6 months ago). I take vitamins, but not crazy amounts and get most from food, but as I age my appetite had gotten so low that supplements are getting necessary. I definitely take B12, a good multi, K2, D3,DHA, magnesium and C. I emphasize protein, calcium and fiber in my diet. That’s it, so far. Ha!
You are lucky to have gotten the daddy gene! I got my moms crummy gene snd have been working for most of my life to not follow her path of self care, which was zero! I’m trying …
I’m envious of your current status of bone health, but please keep vigilant. Women don’t have it easy in this aging game. Whatever you do, muscle strength is vital for your future. Work on that and flexibility. You want to be able to get up if you fall! My friend told me she was unable to get on the floor and then get up… terrifying!! I watched videos on this very thing and am now able to get down and up without much grunting!! Haha!
Thanks for checking out those links. And continue to stay strong and well… Barb

@barbakp @sueinmn Id like to respond to the idea that the Bone Coach is a "scam". I am enrolled in this program and have to say that I am concerned that you would immediately draw a conclusion without knowing more about the program and what it offers. It is an extremely well researched, professional and extensive program with 5 coaches, 3 of them PhD's, one nutritionist and a Nurse Practitioner/Functional Medicine Practitioner who has been working with women for over 30 years in womens health, menapause, osteoporosis, teaches at the Functional Medicine Institute and has written books, hundreds of articles, etc.
These "coaches" are women who have thriving businesses along with their contributions to the Bone Coach Program and are highly educated in the field of osteoporosis. One part of the program alone offers 6 1-hour live Zoom calls a week with the different coaches (womens health, nutrition, stress management, exercise), and access to close to a thousand past recordings (lifetime access). That is in addition to the extensive step by step process that Kevin takes you through, so you don't get overwhelmed with the amount of information they offer.
The program is designed around identifying the causes for you specifically (ie is it estrogen, is it nutritional, is it absorption), The other target areas are Nutrition, Exercise, and Managing stress (which is closely tied to absorption as cortisol inhibits absorption of vitamins, minerals, etc) They recommend you have a: Primary Care Physician, a Functional Medicine Doctor, and an Endocrinologist on board.
With regards to marketing, Im not entirely sure why you would criticize someone for marketing their product, as anyone who wants a successful business will market their product. If anything, Kevin doesn't market it enough, as you don't really understand by looking at his website the enormous amount of information and support you get in this program. I believe he holds back because he has put so much content in his program that he does not want it stolen. And lastly, regarding cost of the program, why would that be a negative, to charge for what you get in the Bone Coach, lifetime access to all of the content...not just the Zoom calls but all of the nutrition, testing, exercises, etc.
We dont criticize anyone for hiring a Physical Therapist, a Nutritionist, a Personal Trainer, a membership at a gym. You have to pay for all of that, why is it a "scam" to pay for the extensive expertise of all of these people? The program consolidates it all together so you dont have to piecemeal your recovery plan. With all due respect I think your judgement that it is a scam is unfair.

Hi all,
A gentle reminder about the Community Guidelines https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/tab/community-guidelines/ These guidelines help us keep Mayo Clinic Connect safe, supportive, inclusive, and respectful, and evidence based.

All information shared by members on the Mayo Clinic Connect, such as messages, images, advice, URLs, and any other material, is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the community.

Also note that messages posted to a discussion are seen by all members of the group.

Here are some tips from Mayo Clinic about lifestyle approaches like diet, supplements and exercise that can help improve bone health:

- Bone health: Tips to keep your bones healthy https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/bone-health/art-20045060
- Mayo Clinic Q and A: Osteoporosis and exercise https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-osteoporosis-and-exercise/
- Exercising with osteoporosis: Stay active the safe way https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/in-depth/osteoporosis/art-20044989

When considering complementary or alternative treatments, be open-minded yet skeptical and do your research. Learn about the potential benefits and risks, as well as costs. Here is an article from Mayo Clinic that might interest you about evaluating claims made by the practitioners, producers and/or sellers of supplements, therapy approaches, natural products and other alternative medicines. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/home-remedies-evaluate-claims-of-complementary-and-alternative-medicine/

I appreciate the successes, programs, questioning, and tips for researching that have been shared by all. Let's continue to work together for our health.

Note: The last link is out of date.

Note: The last link is out of date.

@sheilad1 What is Bone Coach? You mention it's pricey? I'd personally be suspicious of a program that is expensive for which there is no scientific evidence of its effectiveness.

I had (key word is "had") osteoporosis and I'm now in the osteopenia range. I did this by working with my doctor on increasing my Vitamin D level (needed to done with supplements), medication (Fosomax which I resisted at first and finally decided to go with it for 4.5 years) and weight bearing and strength based exercise. Exercise included walking, x-country skiing, and weight training. In the midst of all this I had a total hip replacement for a hip where there was a congenital problem and I had developed osteoarthritis. The hip and back pain was awful and impaired my quality of life so for almost a year in the middle of all this I couldn't do the activities I normally enjoy. I had a bone density scan after finishing the Fosomax and learned that my bone density had greatly improved. In my case I did what the scientific evidence supports.

Does this help as you think about what you might like to do to increase your bone density?

@lynnhaz I would like to point out that I did not refer to the Bone Coach program as a "scam". It looks like a well-designed integrative program. Perhaps parts of the program have empirical (published peer-reviewed evidence published in a scientific journal). I wholly support licensed PT, exercise with a licensed personal trainer (I work with an exercise physiologist and licensed trainer) and a licensed nutritionist. However, none of these are proprietary and with the exception of personal training our medical insurance often pays the fee.

The problem - and it's a very big one from my point of view as a scientist (now retired)- is the expense of a proprietary program that has no scientific evidence. If this is a such a beneficial program why not conduct clinical trials under the supervision of an unbiased source?

We are not medical professionals on Mayo Clinic Connect. We do offer emotional support and advice on seeking out good sources for care. The original poster asked for opinions of how you know your osteoporosis gets better? I offered my opinion.