Improve bone density and strength without medication?
Any luck improving bone density and strength without medication? It seems the medications only mildly help ... and they only help some patients; some studies show the slight improvement in density does not mean quality bone was built. I'm not comfortable with moving forward with the treatments just because "that's what we give patients with osteoporosis". There seems to be no room for education or discussion, or research into actual results or other options.
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I just started Estrogen cream. 50% E2 and 50% E3 for total of up to 2 mg. daily. I currently take 50 mg. Micronized progesterone and may increase to 100 mg. I’m about to start Testosterone cream- up to 3 mg. daily. Then, I’ll try low dose Tymlos. Hoping hrt will hold density after Tymlos.
Vitamin E and Omega 3 use the same intestinal receptors. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5643801/#:~:text=Vitamin%20E%20and%20K%20follow,vitamin%20D%20absorption%20in%20intestine.
If you are taking a low dose K2 there may be enough receptors left for D. It is easier to separate ingestion. If your multi contains both, they are probably low dose K2.
Just when you get everything settled you realize that availability is not absorption.
This link is a bit of a slug.
D3 has a half life of about 15 days. MK2- 4 < 24 hours MK7 3 days.
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I might choose Tymlos with the lumbar structure at risk. If you make that choice be sure and follow windyshore. She took the clicks in a graduating measure to allow her body time to adjust and avoid side effects.
Either is a good choice.
wishing you the best luck
Oh wow that is quite different from my prescription if I’m reading it correctly. 2mg estrogen versus my .025 mg estrogen patch …. And 50 mg progesterone versus my 100 mg. I’ll have to research these doses to help explain the differences. Thanks so much. Do you mind sharing your age and years since menopause).
Thanks for your quick reply and for the link. Per that paper you should also avoid vitamin E at the same meal as vitamin D and also phytosterols which would mean many plant foods often considered especially healthy. It certainly does make life more complicated! And at least in this paper they did not think they had a final answer on this. Also they suggested a rather low percentage of interference with vitamin D. It's amazing how many studies are done and how few definitive answers we have.
BTW, I take high dose vitamin K2 MK4 (15 mg) with vitamin D and my levels of D go up and down readily based on whether I'm taking D and K2 and the dosage level of the D. If I quit taking them I go back down over several months. I cannot keep above 30 ng/ml with sunshine alone. Of course my experience might not be true for the next person.
When researching supplements for bone maintenance I found info on Berberine, which apparently works to layer in the new bone being formed. I don't know if it really helps but it is something I had not heard of before. Selenium is also recommended in some online forums, though it seems to be more associated with immune system and endocrine system function.
Trace minerals and micronutrients are probably best taken in the correct foods but I guess it does not hurt to find reputable supplements.
Are you taking D3? MK2-4 more than once a day? 45mg is the "japanese" dose divided into 15mg doses. I''ve read 70 ng/ml is optimal for D. Why do you quit for several months?
The article isn't new, there have been subsequent (but where are they)
Yeah a lot of small studies and then disclaimers from the NIH.
I’ll check the Berberine out. I do know selenium
Helps muscles but it can be toxic if you take to much.
Thanks for info
I started taking Berberine; my M.D. said that was a good thing to take for osteoporosis. National Library of Medicine article stated: "Berberine has a long history of medicinal use to treat various diseases including bone disease in China. Recent studies have defined its function in promoting bone regeneration and great potential in developing new drugs. But the systemic mechanism of berberine on bone regeneration still needs more research to clarify."
Another article stated: "Berberine... Another supplement that is known to improve symptoms of osteoporosis is berberine; research suggests that berberine may lower osteoclast activity and boost osteoblast activity."
Hi Gently, I take D3 & MK2 4 mostly a couple of times a week. Never multiple times in a day. I have extreme food and chemical sensitivities and typically react to both D3 and K2. If my reactions are worse I take them less often. Sometimes I stop so that I won't be reacting to them and can try to figure out what else I'm reacting to. Sometimes I try to see if summer sun is enough to keep my D3 levels up (it never is). If my D goes down I try to get it back up. I'm shooting for the 50 ng/ml range based on a variety of "expert" opinions and guesses. Basically I have to experiment and ab lib my way around taking any supplements or foods for that matter. Which is probably why I have osteoporosis. I was on an extreme low calcium "diet" (unintentionally) for many many years. BTW, good researching on your part to find this info. I'd never heard of this in relation to D.