Osteoporosis is a widespread medical condition, prevalent among women and the elderly. According to a study, the disease affected 54% of the elderly population in the year 2010 and the number of patients is only expected to increase further[i]. The National Foundation of Osteoporosis has predicted that by the year 2020, one in every two Americans, aged 50 or above, will be affected by osteoporosis[ii]. Thus, various efforts have been made to treat and control the condition.
Diagnosing Osteoporosis
The word ‘osteoporosis’ literally means ‘porous bones’. There are two main mechanisms responsible for healthy bone structure in any human being. The first mechanism causes the deterioration of old and weak bones, carried out by the bone cells called osteoblasts and is called resorption. In the second step, new bones are formed by means of bone cells called osteoclasts.
While we are young, the process of bone formation exceeds the process of bone loss. When we are in our thirties, the process is in equilibrium. However, when our bodies grow old, the bone generation slows down while the bone loss keeps occurring at the same rate. This leads to weak and porous bones, which are more prone to fractures.
Currently, doctors use a bone densitometer to measure the mass density of bones and compare it with the bone of an average individual. Since lower bone density is an indicator of osteoporosis, they base their diagnosis on this test. However, it is possible to have dense but brittle bones, rendering the test ineffective in a way.
The Misleading Calcium Myth
How can bones be brittle if they are dense? The answer to this question lies in the famous Calcium myth and its consequences. It all started in 1997 when Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) Committee set the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Calcium to be 1000mg[iii], mistakenly believing that Calcium is the key to fortifying the bone formation process.
On the other hand, pharmaceutical companies decided to take care of the bone loss part by creating bisphosphonate drugs. This drug blocks the resorption process.
The big problem of osteoporosis was solved and the doctors prescribed the patients with this drug while the food industry created and advertised Calcium fortified products. Unfortunately, there was only one problem—the fractures kept on occurring. Apparently, the drug was also blocking the growth of new bones and the Calcium was not helping either.
Vitamin K—the Main Defender against the Osteoporosis Attack
While Calcium is an important component of the bone, it requires the help of several other nutrients, mainly Vitamin K, to be deposited in the bone. Otherwise, it is simply excreted or is deposited in the soft tissues of the body while the bones stay weak. There are several studies linking osteoporosis to Vitamin K deficiency[iv]. Moreover, there are several forms of vitamin K and it is menaquinone (K2), which are responsible for recycling of Calcium, leading to bone formation[v].
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[i] Wright, N. C., Looker, A. C., Saag, K. G., Curtis, J. R., Delzell, E. S., Randall, S., & Dawson‐Hughes, B. (2014). The recent prevalence of osteoporosis and low bone mass in the United States based on bone mineral density at the femoral neck or lumbar spine. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 29(11), 2520-2526.
[ii] National Osteoporosis Foundation. (2002). America’s bone health: the state of osteoporosis and low bone mass.
[iii] Atkinson, S. A., Abrasms, S. A., & Allen, L. H. (1997). Dietary reference intakes for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, and fluoride, standing committee on the scientific evaluation of dietary reference intakes, food and nutrition board, institute of medicine.
[iv] US Department of Health and Human Services. (2004). Bone health and osteoporosis: a report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, 87.
[v] Plaza, S. M., & Lamson, D. W. (2005). Vitamin K2 in bone metabolism and osteoporosis. Alternative medicine review, 10(1), 24-36.