Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
The weakening of your bones and the decrease in your bone mineral density is important to understand for both men and women for all ages. Let’s talk about all different and important aspects of bone health and what you should do to maintain their strength as you age.
Consuming more than two servings of soda per day on average showed potential associations with higher risk of hip fracture among postmenopausal women. Here’s what you need to know.
It’s common to think that bones are hard, lifeless parts of your body. But it’s actually the opposite – your bones are living and growing tissue. As both men and women age and reach peak bone mass, the balance between bone formation and bone loss might start to change, actually causing bone loss faster than bone formation.
Did you know that women tend to have smaller, thinner bones than men? The National Osteoporosis Foundation reports that women are at a high risk of developing osteoporosis and broken bones because of this. Another factor is estrogen, a hormone that protects a women’s bones. But estrogen, like many hormones in the body, decreases sharply as women reach menopause, which can cause bone loss. What can women do to support healthy bones? Many experts suggest Collagen.
Our body has a very high content of collagen; it accounts for 70% of our skin, 36% of our bone, and 67% of our joint cartilage. It is found all over our body including in our spine, the protective barrier of our brain called the blood brain barrier, the filters in our kidneys, the valves of our heart, the lining of our blood vessel walls, and the whites of our eyes. Our ligaments, tendons, meniscus, and many other tissues have a large collagen content.
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There are two problems with collagen and our body; one is that we make less and less each year starting at the age of 25 and the second is that it is a big molecule, so you don’t absorb it from food sources. To get around this absorption issue, researchers have found that if you add enzymes to collagen, it releases its peptides – the constituents that heal and rebuild the body – and they are easily absorbed. This liberated collagen is called hydrolyzed collagen.
Many human clinical trials show that collagen – rich in collagen peptides and that is hydrolyzed – aids joint health, bone health, and skin health.
In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, doctors from the University of Freiberg in Germany gave 131 postmenopausal women either hydrolyzed collagen (HC) or a placebo daily for 12 months. HC had a notable effect on bone health, improving the thickness of the femoral neck (this is where the hipbone fractures) and improving the thickness of spinal bone. Additional evidence for the bone building was seen in a decrease in CTX 1, or C-Terminal Peptide. This peptide is made out of collagen and is found in your bone; doctors look for it in your urine where it is excreted. In the HC-treated ladies CTX-1 decreased, whereas in the placebo-treated ladies it increased indicating further and accelerated bone loss. Also, in the HC-treated ladies P1NP improved. This is a form of collagen found in bone and is the most sensitive marker that you are building bone. Doctors use it to see if medicine is working to help rebuild your bone and a rise in this indicates that you are actively building bone.
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, there numerous foods that can give you the nutrients you need each day that contributes to healthy bone growth and maintenance, including dairy products, fish, fruits, and vegetables. Recent research has also found foods like olive oil, soy beans, blueberries, and foods rich in omega-3s like fish oil and flaxseed oil, may also have bone boosting benefits.
Our bones are constantly being broken down and built back up, so the body can remove old frail bone cells and replace them with new strong ones. But calcium is not the only nutrient you need.
About 325,000 Americans over the age of 65 will break their hip this year. A minimum of 25% of those with hip fractures will need assistance walking after the fracture, 25% will end up in a nursing home and 25% or more will die within …
L-Carnitine is a natural substance found in most cells of the body, and it is crucial for the production of energy. After your body metabolizes fats and carbohydrates into fatty acids, L-Carnitine transports them into the mitochondrial power plants of the cell, where they serve as fuel for energy production. Simply put – L-Carnitine turns fat into energy.
There are numerous ways you can build muscle mass and strength. You can change your workouts to work on different muscles each time. Or, you could learn more about L-Carnitine, according to this new research. Published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism, scientists ran a study for eight weeks on a supplemental combination of L-Carnitine, L-Leucine, Creatine, and Vitamin D3. Forty-two healthy adults between the ages of 55 and 70 participated in this randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study, where they were randomly assigned to one of three groups – the L-Carnitine combination, L-Carnitine only, or a placebo for eight weeks. Results of the study showed that, compared to the placebo group, the combination supplement resulted in a 63.5% improvement in muscle mass, muscle strength and physical activity.
The researchers wrote, “L-Carnitine, in combination with L-Leucine and creatine, significantly enhanced lean muscle mass and functional strength particularly in the lower legs, likely due to an improved protein anabolism through the mTOR pathway. The combination product was safe, well tolerated, and may provide additional performance value with prolonged use beyond the 8-week study period in healthy older adults.”
Sarcopenia is the degenerative loss of muscle mass, quality and strength associated with aging. According to Archana Gogna, MS, CNS, MBA of InVite ® Health, Sarcopenia becomes apparent after the age of 40 and progresses annually, generally accelerated after the age of about 75. “Sarcopenia and osteoporosis are directly related conditions, one often following the other. Muscle generates the mechanical stress to keep our bones healthy. When muscles are used less frequently (as seen in the elderly and in “couch potatoes”), it can exacerbate the problem of osteoporosis and lead to a decline in health.”
There are many natural alternatives to support the maintenance of muscle mass and strength. Whey protein, one of the best-absorbed sources of protein, has been found to be beneficial in increasing muscle and tendon size and strength. Protein can also be incorporated into the diet through grass-fed meat, pasture-raised eggs, free-range poultry, beans and nuts. Optimal levels of Vitamin D are crucial to maintaining muscle health, as it helps to preserve type 2 muscle fibers. Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA from fish oils) can be helpful for reducing inflammation, which can quite often go hand-in-hand with muscle deterioration.
Speak to a healthcare professional about your hormone levels and have them tested to make sure they are all within a healthy range. A decrease with age in hormones such as testosterone, DHEA and IGF-1 (insulin growth factor-1) can impact bone and muscle.
According to Archana Gogna, aging creates a certain amount of oxidative stress that can cause an increased level of inflammation in the body. Counteract this by incorporating inflammation-fighting foods into your diet like omega-3s, fresh vegetables and fruits.
Healthy dietary lifestyle changes, exercise, targeted nutraceuticals, keeping track of hormonal changes, and keeping inflammation in check, you may be able to ease into your golden years with relative ease and be able to lead active and independent lives.