Bone Remodeling and Osteoporosis

To understand osteoporosis and the popular medical “remedy” Fosamax, it is necessary to understand the process of bone remodeling.  And, yes, bones do remodel themselves.  The cycle takes 100 days.  It occurs throughout life through a regulated process of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption coupled to osteoblast-mediated bone formation.

BONE REMODELING

Now, let me walk you through the process in terms easily grasped by the layman.  Bone is a dynamic tissue that is constantly being resorbed and remodeled.  As with all organs and tissues of the body, muscular and skeletal included, the cells that compose them die and are replaced, resulting in a renewal of these organs and tissues in cycles that are determined  by their use, wear and tear.  For example, the hardest working muscle in the body, the heart, is replaced cell by cell, on an average, every thirty days.  The next most used organ, the stomach, is replaced over a period of ninety days; the remaining organs approximately every twelve months.  Your skeletal and muscular systems, however, take much longer to replace themselves — seven years on an average.

What happens is simple: bone cells and the collagen that holds them in place are dissolved and the minerals that comprise the bone cells are reclaimed in a process called “resorption.”  This is done by little workhorses called “osteoclasts.” These demolition cells, literally bone-breakers by derivation, are regulated by estrogen in women and estrogen converted testosterone in men.

Osteoblasts are cells that lay down the collagen matrix for bone remodeling. In a word, they replace bone cells after they are demolished by the osteoclasts.

THE ROLE OF ESTROGEN (Estrodiol)

In simple terms, the estrogen hormone estrodiol brings on the death (apoptosis) of the osteoclast cell once its role is completed.  It simply attaches a protein molecule called Fas Ligand, that is programmed to kill cells that fail to perform their function. This allows a balance between the breaking down process and the rebuilding process of bone tissue by “osteoblasts.”   In this sense, estrogen plays a protective role in bone health.  In technical terms, estrogen induces a paracrine signal (endocrine hormone messenger) originating in osteoblasts that leads to the death of pre-osteoclasts, thereby regulating bone resorption and remodeling.

THE ROLE OF THE PARATHYROID GLANDS

The Thyroid Gland’s production of hormones is activated by the Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) produced by the Pituitary Gland. Parathyroid hormones (PTH) produced by the 4 parathyroid glands, located on the backside of the thyroid gland, stimulates Calcium and Phosphate release from bone, thereby increasing blood calcium and phosphate levels.   It also stimulates osteoclasts, thus breaking down bone tissue, then stimulates Calcium resorption in the kidneys, where it also stimulates activated Vitamin D3 production.

THE ROLE OF VITAMIN D3

Vitamin D3 is a steroid hormone that plays an important role in regulating mineral metabolism.  The target tissues of D3 are the intestines, bone, kidneys, and parathyroid glands.

OSTEOPOROSIS & OSTEOPENIA

Simply stated, when bone absorption gets ahead of bone matrix production and replacement, bones begin to get thin.  This typically occurs in postmenopausal women and in men as they age.  With women it’s a reduction is estrogen that results in a reduction in osteoclast apoptosis (cell suicide).  With men it’s a reduction in testosterone and its conversion to estrogen that results in the same reduction in osteoclast apoptosis.  So bone resorption continues at a higher rate than bone replacement, resulting in a thinning of the bones (osteopenia) which leads to osteoporosis if left untreated.

ENTER FOSAMAX (ALENDRONATE)

The bisphosphonate alendronate and conjugated equine estrogens are both widely used for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Acting by different mechanisms, these two agents decrease bone resorption and thereby increase or preserve bone mineral density (BMD).

Alendronate’s mechanism of action is to inhibit osteolast activity and thus slow down the resorption of calcium. This has both favorable and unfavorable consequences.  While Fosamax slows down bone resorption, it prevents bone turnover and renewal.  This doesn’t sound very wise to me.  Basically, old bone is not replaced by new bone.  Bone matrix continues to be laid down by osteoblast activity, however the new bone is  formed on top of the alendronate which is then incorporated into the bone matrix where is ceases to be pharmacologically active.  This creates the necessity for continued administration of the drug to suppress osteoclast activity.  The end result is the creation of a thin veneer of bone matrix laid down on the back of the drug, which looks white on x-ray film giving the impression that bone density has been increased.  But it has only been increased at surface levels and not at deeper levels.

The problem with this is that the bone tissue underneath this veneer is not being replaced leaving the bone hallow inside and brittle. This is particularly so with the more spongy bone that comprise vertebral bodies and femur heads, as well as the jaw bone.  Compression fractures in the spine, along with hip fractures, are prevalent in older women who have been taking Fosamax for a lengthy period of time.  The femur head breaks off the femur  causing the elderly person to fall down.  It isn’t the fall that fractures the hip in most cases, but rather the hip fracture that causes the fall.  Necrosis of the jaw bone is a more devastating side effect of Fosamax drug therapy.

OSTEONECROSIS OF THE JAW BONE

A more notorious problem with Fosamax administration is the incidence of osteonecrosis, deterioration of the jaw bone, a disease for which there is no known remedy for reversal.  Fosamax has a half-life of ten years, so its presence is long lasting.  Go to the link above and read more about this detriment before you consider taking Fosamax or any of the other alendronate products.  For more information, simply Google Fosamax Problems or go to www.fosamaxproblems.com.

A MORE NATURAL AND SENSIBLE APPROACH 

Basically, a more natural and sensible approach to preventing and reversing bone-loss is to support the bone remodeling process with nutritional protocols, as the video clip demonstrated. In postmenopausal women, estrogen replacement therapy is favored over Fosamax administration. Testosterone replacement therapy is available for men.   I will save a discussion of the natural alternative to hormone and drug therapy for my next blog post.  So, stay tuned . . . .

To your health and healing,

Dr. Anthony Palombo

Visit my second blog Healing Tones for more of my views and perspectives on health and on vibrational healing.  Feel free to leave your comments and to contact me by email at tpal70@gmail.com.

References:

MedicineNet.com (Webster’s New World Medical Dictionary),

Peter J. Millett, M.Sc., M.D., Matthew J. Allen, M.A., Vet.M.B., Ph.D., and Neil Rushton, M.D., F.R.C.S.

Medical Education, Hospital for Special Surgery, Cornell University Medical College, 535 East 71st Street, New York, NY, 10021 USA

Orthopedic Research Unit, Box 180, Level E6, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK

JCEM (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism)

EMBOJournal.com, and WikiAnswers.com

21-Day Purification Program Clip

View only if you want to cleanse your body temple, loose weight and clarify your thinking and your skin.

To your health and healing,

Dr. Tony Palombo

Email me for more information about the program, personal support during it, and to order the products  for the program:  tpal70@gmail.com.

P.S.  As promised, we will continue our consideration around calcium in my next post.

Post-Purification Program

Fall colors at Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon

     Harvest time has come as we gather seasonal vegetables from our Spring and Summer gardens and prepare for Fall planting of winter crops: cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale and kohlrabi; root crops such as carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips and radishes.  And don’t forget to plant some sweet pea snaps to pick and eat right off the vine . . . with an added bonus of lovely flowers.  Some of these are already available at farmers’ markets and grocery stores in your area as Fall gardens get planted in August here in the South.  (Click on picture to enlarge it)

If you followed my suggestions in the last post, “Fall Cleaning,” and went through the 21-day purification program, you may want to follow it with a post-purification program.  Standard Process offers some very excellent whole food supplements for this purpose.

SP’s Post Purification Kit ($157 + $13 drop-shipping) consists of the following whole food supplements:

Kit Includes (30-day supply):

Order today and receive a 10% subscriber’s discount.
    Prepare for the winter months by enhancing your immune system.  Remember, you immune system is not limited to a single organ or gland.  It’s more an “alliance” of many organs and glands, along with all the cells of your body. Liver, spleen, bone marrow, thymus gland with its lymph nodes, and, not the least important, your intestines which are lined with the lion’s share of your lymphatic glands.  The parotid glands of your mouth are your first line of defense.  Clean water, of course, is essential to toxin elimination and nutrient distribution – up to 8 glasses a day are recommended.  To insure strong first-line defense in the mouth, I recommend a maintenance dose of Parotid PMG byStandard Process Labs. 
 
I’ve had clients who hate water and drink diet sodas every day.  Diet sodas are sweetened with aspartame. Go to this website for a full report on this and other chemical sweeteners  http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html.  Here is an excerpt about the side effects:
Aspartame has been linked to various neuropsychiatric disorders, including panic attacks, mood changes, visual hallucinations, manic episodes, and isolated dizziness. A small, double-blind crossover study of patients with major depression revealed a higher incidence of reactions in these patients compared with nondepressed volunteers after administration of 30 mg/kg for 7 days; symptoms included headache, nervousness, dizziness, memory impairment, nausea, temper outbursts, and depression. 
 I do not wonder about the relationship between the nerve and muscle pain associated with fibromyalgia and the consumption of diet sodas with aspartame, not to mention an aversion to drinking water.  Drink water instead of sodas.  Pure water is allowed to go where adulterated beverages are not allowed in the body tissues.   A word to the wise.
To your health and healing,
Dr. Tony Palombo
Visit my second blog Healing Tones for inspired reading.
 

FALL CLEANING

Fall in Oregon - Click on picture to enlarge

We are all aware of the need for “Spring Cleaning” and we do it every year in our homes, many of us in the more immediate homes of our physical bodies.

But what about “Fall Cleaning” in the yard and gardens, even in our body temples?  We have to do that, too, just to clean up what’s left after harvest time and when the leaves and blossoms have fallen to the ground.  Likewise, our body temples can use a cleaning as the Fall and Winter months set in.

I recommend the “Purification Program” by Standard Process Labs for a thorough house cleaning – from the cellular level on out to the organs of elimination, including and especially the gastrointestinal tract that processes all the empty carbohydrate and fast-foods we tend to consume on the run, much of it still clinging to the lining of the gut in the form or mucous (protein) and undigested food (anywhere from 15 to 25 lbs. of it).  Wouldn’t you just love to be rid of those kind of toxic pounds?!

Here’s what the Purification Program by Standard Process Labs. looks like (click on the link for more details):

For 21 days you simply take a number of capsules containing cleansing and rebuilding nutrients and have a few healthy, meal-replacement SP Complete shakes during the day.  Add your favorite fruit or fruit juice to the shake mix and, voila!, you have a great and tasty meal in a glass.  For a little more cost, you can snack on protein richStandardBars during the day to help with extra protein and low blood sugar.  If needed, you can continue to eat your regular meals and have a SP Complete shake with them.  Just serve yourself smaller portions to make room for the body-purifying shake.  For a more healthy meal, click on Program Diet.  

Here’s a sampling of what two of the products alone afford you:

SP Green Food  provides a simple way for people of all ages to add vital phytonutrients to their diet.

  • Promotes healthy liver function
  • Provides antioxidants
  • Supports overall cellular health
  • Provides phytonutrients
  • Supports cholesterol metabolism, already within a normal range
  • Supports the normal elimination of toxins
  • Adds vital nutrients to any diet, and can be used as nutritional support in the Standard Process Purification Program†

Whole Food-Fiber provides soluble and insoluble fiber to support the digestive system.

  • Encourages a healthy intestinal environment to help maintain proper intestinal flora
  • Cleanses the lower gastrointestinal tract
  • Encourages a healthy gastrointestinal tract pH
  • Supports healthy elimination
  • Contains fennel, which helps relieve gas, abdominal cramps, and indigestion
  • Maintains healthy lipid and blood glucose levels already in normal ranges
  • Adds vital nutrients to any diet, and can be used as nutritional support in the Standard Process Purification and Post-Purification Programs†  Gluten Free & Vegetarian

The program comes with a user-friendly guide and recipe suggestions for the shake, so you’ll have all the information you will need to walk you through the program.  You always have me, of course, to answer any of your questions.

Now, you have to eliminate the refined carbohydrate foods all together.  Donuts and biscuits have to go, along with cakes, cookies and breads that are made with refined flour and sugar.  Eliminating sugar all together for the 3-week cleanse period alone will profit you in lbs lost and not added.

The cost?   $12 a day ($252 – postage included)!  Order through me and enjoy a purification-day-on-me blog-reader’s discount of $12!  [ For $40 more you can replace one of the SP Complete 28 oz. jars with 30 1-oz packets. That way you have the jar at home and packets in your purse or pocket to take with you to work or in your travels.  

Note: The StandardBars are not included in this price and cost $50/18 bars ($45 for blog-readers) with no extra shipping charge if included with your initial order.   

For details on the products and their function in the cleanse, simply visit Standard Processwebsite link provided here, then click on option Purification Program Products.  Visit other options as well to learn more about the program and the need for whole-body purification.

Let me hear from you with any questions you may have and for product orders.  I can have them drop-shipped to your doorstep by UPS in 3-5 business days.

To your health and healing,

Dr. Anthony Palombo

(Note: products cannot be ordered directly from the company but only from a licensed healthcare practitioner.)