When people hear bone health” we tend to think about calcium. In all honesty, how could we not? I remember when I was a child watching the Got Milk? campaign adds run by the dairy council and funded by the US government to prop up the dairy industry. They were everywhere and it left my generation thinking a glass or two of milk was all you needed. Fortunately I grew up and I now let the facts, not the misinformation marketing, tell the story.
Well, it may surprise you that to hear that while calcium is important, it’s not the only factor when it comes to building strong bones and preventing falls in our golden years. Some may be surprised to hear that several studies show a relationship between intake of vitamin C containing foods (not necessarily vitamin C itself, such as via supplements) and a reduced risk of fracture, osteoporosis, and bone mineral density loss. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32117042/
“By dose-response analysis, we can see that with the increase of 50 mg/day vitamin C intake, the risk of hip fracture will reduce by 5%” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29101410/
These two studies make it seem like we just need to take a vitamin C containing supplement. Unfortunately it is not as simple as taking a supplement. In a review article on the effects of oxidative stress and metabolic diseases it was found that antioxidants may be another key player as part of the complex of nutrients we call whole foods.
“The mechanisms of antioxidant action of dietary interventions with fruits and vegetables may be due to several reasons: high content of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds with antioxidant capacity; some vitamins are required as coenzymes in DNA repair processes; the minerals act as enzymatic cofactors of the enzymes of the antioxidant system; fiber can reduce glucose absorption, avoiding postpublic hyperglycemia that increases the production of reactive species” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32160647/
So, how does oxidation/inflammation impact our bone health? The research is pointing towards the way these inflammatory processes put greater stress on the kidneys via acidosis. This then prompts the bones to release calcium in order to maintain pH balance in our blood. “The beneficial effects of fruit and vegetables on chronic diseases are thought to be through reducing oxidative stress and inflammation processes or diet-induced metabolic acidosis, all of which influence bone health.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30022739/
At the end of the day the picture is getting clear. Bone health is more than calcium, with other important nutrients such as vitamin D, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, selenium, zinc, vitamin K, as well as fiber, and antioxidants. While a multivitamin is an easy way to get your vitamins and minerals, getting fiber and antioxidants is best with whole foods. The synergistic action of all these nutrients makes whole foods the preferred way to get your fiber and antioxidants. We must also not forget that the USDA allows the dairy industry to play a large role in the development of the calcium RDA. The US has the highest calcium RDA in the world….by A LOT! When Canada kicked special interests out of their process, they let the science lead and what do you know, they no longer have a glass of milk as part of their nutrition recommendations.
We have known how fiber and antioxidants help with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and now you know how all these nutrients are important for bone health too. Luckily, it’s relatively easy to get all these nutrients via a mostly whole foods plant-based/vegan eating pattern.
Special note: We all have foods we love and foods we, well…don’t like so much. This means we all have a nutrient or two we might be a bit low on. Reach out and schedule a consult today so we can find out how to fill the holes in your unique eating pattern.
If you are an athlete considering supplements to increase recovery and endurance then check out my blog post on Evidenced Based Supplements for Training Like and Athlete.
Also! Check out my Instagram page for inspirational messages, scientific articles, photos of what I’ve been up to, and more! @feedyourbodyandmindllc
