Traditional Herbs Can Benefit Bone Health and Ease Joint Pain

by Carol Simontacchi

Osteoporosis (abnormal thinning of the bone from mineral loss and poor protein structure of connective tissue) threatens up to 44 million Americans and is the underlying cause of 1.5 million fractures annually in the US. One in six women suffers hip fractures during their lives, and for women over the age of eighty, the percentage reaches one-third, and for men over the age of eighty, one-sixth. A woman’s risk of hip fracture is greater than her risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer combined.

Major risk factors include aging, menopause, chronic corticosteroid use, maternal history of osteoporosis, and obesity. While calcium is the best-known nutrient for bone health, calcium intake alone cannot prevent osteoporosis. Americans have twice as many hip fractures as the Japanese, although calcium consumption in Japan is very low. In the Netherlands, high calcium intake does not prevent a high rate of osteoporosis. Zinc, potassium, and fiber all contribute to strong bones. The ratio of calcium to phosphorous and magnesium is critical to their absorption into bones, as is vitamin D. At least seven types of calcium are now on the market in addition to common calcium carbonate. Another mineral, boron, may reduce urinary excretion of calcium and magnesium.

Certain herbs have been suggested to maximize hormone activity after menopause. Since the liver processes estrogen, liversupporting herbs such as burdock root, which also has estrogenic effects, dandelion and yellow dock may be useful. Other herbs with purported estrogenic effects include dong quai, blue cohosh, black cohosh, sage, alfalfa (which enhances mineralization) and motherwort. Some studies support the use of isoflavone extracts of red clover for both menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis. Isoflavones have shown positive results, especially in strengthening the lumbar spine. While there are concerns that taking isolated isoflavones may lower lymphocytes and may have a negative interaction with some drugs, other concerns such as the possibility that these and other phytoestrogens may increase risks of estrogen-dependent cancers are so far unproven.

Herbs that may enhance bone mineralization include stinging nettle, slippery elm, oat, and horsetail. In a randomized trial involving 122 women, those taking a horsetail extract or a horsetail-calcium combination had statistically significant improvements in bone density over the placebo group. Horsetail is also traditionally used to support joint health.

Additional herbs associated with joint health include ashwangandha root, guggul (a traditional Ayurvedic anti-arthritic with anti-inflammatory effects), turmeric root (anti-inflammatory), willow bark (to reduce pain, fever and inflammation) and St. John’s wort (for many mildly painful conditions, including osteoarthritis). Sulfur compounds such as glucosamine sulfate, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) and SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine) rebuild joint cartilage and otherwise benefit osteoarthritis sufferers.

Bones aren’t just constructed from calcium. Healthy bones are comprised of many minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, boron and others. The matrix of the bone is composed of collagen from amino acids, protein sugars like glycosaminoglycans, and chondroitin sulfate, and the crystalline minerals deposit into the matrix to form hydroxyapatite crystals. These crystals make bone hard. Complete bone nutrition comes from microcrystalline hydroxyapatite concentrates that provide all the nutrients needed to construct healthy, dense, hard bones.

Above all, don’t take calcium carbonate (ground up limestone). This form of calcium can wreak havoc on the whole body, particularly when consumed in large amounts in the absence of other bone-building nutrients.

Carol’s Recommendations for healthy bones:

• A good quality multi-vitamin/mineral supplement (Vitamin Research Products Optimum 6 is excellent, take six capsules per day in divided doses
• VRP Opti-Mag: 2 - 4 capsules per day, with breakfast
• VRP: Calcium Hydroxyapatite: 2 - 4 capsules per day, with dinner
• Carlson Fish Oil: 2 – 4 capsules per day
• Thirty minutes of bone jarring exercise (walking, jogging, dancing) per day
• Follow the Wings dietary protocol to balance overall nutrition.

Tags: arthritis health herbs joint-health pain