osteoporosis, calcium supplements and calcium paradox

Posted by melia7 @melia7, Mar 9, 2023

Hello, I am prescribed to take alendronic acid with vitamin D3 for my osteoporosis. I take also calcium 1000mg for a long time. However, I have also high cholesterol (about 6,9) and I wonder about negative effect of such medication on my blood vessels. I have searched the literature and found that osteoporosis itself can cause calcification of vessels. Calcium supplements are found in some articles to cause the progression of aorta calcification. So, the question is if your doctors are recommending you to take calcium supplements or not?

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

@barbakp

I had a TERRIBLE time with magnesium..tried several then saw a video that explains all the types and tried Malate. No issues at all! You are right..takes a bit of testing to see!

Jump to this post

How much magnesium malate do you take daily?

I haven’t been able to find it again but I know there is a study that showed post menopausal women who took higher doses of magnesium were able to increase trabecular bone.

REPLY
@melia7

Candy, this is a wonderful news about calcium not affecting arteries. As to me I started to take vitamin K 2 thanks to this forum, a week ago. My vitamin D3 K2 supplement is produced by Green Sun, and contains 75mkg K2, and 2000 IU D3.

Jump to this post

I find it infuriating that doctors aren’t telling patients that they need k2 to help their bones. My endocrinologist didn’t bother to mention it to me even after a blood test that showed my k levels were are the bottom end of the range. I learned about k2 approximately 2.5 yrs after I was diagnosed w/ osteoporosis. When I then ask my endocrinologist about k2, he was like oh yeah maybe you should supplement.

I’m currently taking Super Smart Complete K. One serving (1 capsule) contains 1500 mcg K1, 1000 mcg K2 MK 4, 150 mcg K2 MK7. I take 1 per day. I also take 1 Jarrow’s BoneUp capsule per day. 1 capsule is 1/2 a serving and contains 7.5 mcg K2 MK7.

According to the Calton’s https://caltonnutrition.com/meet-the-caltons/ Vitamin D3 and K compete for uptake and shouldn’t be taken together.

There is some vitamin D3 in the BoneUp supplement but I believe they balanced the vitamins and minerals to prevent “competition” in uptake/absorption.

REPLY

I should clarify that the magnesium I take is magnesium glycinate.

REPLY
@fearfracture

Regarding your comment “ My blood work done 3 weeks ago showed a normal calcium level”, your bloodwork should ALWAYS show that your calcium is within the normal range. If it doesn’t, you need to have your parathyroid glands checked.

A blood calcium level within the normal range doesn’t mean that one is getting enough calcium from one’s diet, it simple means one’s body is working properly. When you don’t get enough calcium from your diet, your parathyroid gland releases PTH to “find” calcium (PTH stimulates your bones to release calcium into your bloodstream) to keep your blood calcium within the normal range.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22355-parathyroid-hormone

Jump to this post

I'm a newbie--compliments on your name--It is perfect pun!

REPLY

After my DEXA, and without desired endo consult, I've read a great deal about the parathyroid. My PCP dismissed my raising a PTH issue to explain my -4.9 lumbar number--she said, nothing in the blood test indicated any problems in the endocrine system. PTH was not tested. However, I think the research shared here and my own, I think indicates that blood can show normal levels of Ca and Phosphorus and still have bone loss due to dysfunctional PTH.

In the meantime: K2 (mk7) (along with Mg, adding Collagen), Ca supplement. Someone mentioned Boron. What is the theory on Boron.

REPLY

Neither a clinician, nor a statistician, I get their methodological assumptions. However, it was a bit alarming that 400 studies were excluded.

The first paper conclusions regarding VK2 (mk varies) stress insignificant improvement inconsistent with their with their recognized forearm improvements in both BMD and fractures. It would be nice to know why this is so? Is it because it is so much easier to build strength in that area with free weights?

As an aside, it would be nice to correlate the VK intake with vessel improvement.

I wish there was consideration of extrapolating the results for post-menopausal OP with OP in men. Primary OP in men may or may not be validly extrapolated without significant biasing treatment towards the front-line drugs for women. But that's a general complaint about the field.

It wasn't clear to me how dispositive "mean" improvement (insignificant) is when degrees of OP are not broken out. I am more interested whether VK2 is effective in proportion to the BMD. Insignificant improvement for osteopenia might look a lot more significant in OP improvement.

Just some thoughts from a newbie increasingly frustrated by the tsunami of clashing studies.

REPLY

Thanks for the papers. The second one is especially encouraging.

REPLY
@dk68

I'm a newbie--compliments on your name--It is perfect pun!

Jump to this post

There is a free online osteoporosis forum starting soon. If you are interested https://morebonehealth.byhealthmeans.com/?idev_id=30380

REPLY
@dk68

After my DEXA, and without desired endo consult, I've read a great deal about the parathyroid. My PCP dismissed my raising a PTH issue to explain my -4.9 lumbar number--she said, nothing in the blood test indicated any problems in the endocrine system. PTH was not tested. However, I think the research shared here and my own, I think indicates that blood can show normal levels of Ca and Phosphorus and still have bone loss due to dysfunctional PTH.

In the meantime: K2 (mk7) (along with Mg, adding Collagen), Ca supplement. Someone mentioned Boron. What is the theory on Boron.

Jump to this post

Sign up for https://morebonehealth.byhealthmeans.com/?idev_id=30380 they will send you an email with a link to an interview w/ a doctor who specializes in the parathyroid glands and she talks about how the range your calcium should stay in is smaller than the range the labs print on the reports and how many doctors are unaware of this. I watched it last night and it’s very informative.

REPLY
@pami

How much Boron are you taking and is it a separate supplement from the others?

Jump to this post

I’ve been trying to post this in a few places so if I’ve already sent you this link, my apologies. However, there is a free on-line osteoporosis forum starting in the next few days. I listened to several of the speakers last year and many are very informative. If you are interested you can sign up here https://morebonehealth.byhealthmeans.com/?idev_id=30380

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.