Degenerative Disc Disease
An Intelligent Approach to Joint Pain,
Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoporosis and other Degenerative Diseases
Degenerative skeletal disease
affects over 43 million Americans. That is 15% of the total population and
represents 1 out of 6 people. Arthritis accounts for over 44 million
outpatient visits and more than three-quarter of a million hospitalizations
every year. Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work
disability, costing the nation over $65 billion each year. And, as the
baby-boomers age, experts calculate that arthritis will affect 60 million
Americans, or 20% of the total population.
The formulator of the Skeletal
Support Series of supplementation believes that a lot of the
suffering and pain associated with degenerative skeletal diseases can be
minimized, and even avoided altogether with proper diet, exercise and
intelligent dietary supplementation. Intelligent dietary supplementation
begins with a mineral supplement that has calcium properly balanced with
other nutrients that are necessary for calcium absorption and re-absorption
into the bones. Without these other nutrients, calcium is deposited into the
soft tissues of the body rather than absorbed into the bone matrix. Since
proper calcium metabolism and utilization does not occur without these other
nutrients, they are just as important as the calcium itself!
Additional research on calcium/magnesium ratios
They also do not believe in mega
dosing on calcium. Here’s an interesting paradox for you. The Recommended
Daily Requirement (RDI) for calcium has increased over the last 50 years,
from 400 mg per day in 1947 to 1000 mg in 1996. And as it has increased,
cardiovascular diseases and degenerative skeletal diseases, especially
osteoporosis, has steadily increased.
Pathologists report that over 85%
of all autopsies done on people over 65 demonstrate calcification of soft
tissue within the body. Therefore, it does not appear that a calcium
deficiency causes degenerative bone disease, but rather a condition whereby
the calcium is being leached from the bones and being deposited in the soft
tissues. This condition is caused by excessive calcium consumption relative
to other nutrients required for proper calcium metabolism. Improper food
choices and lack of exercise allows the body to become too acidic which
exacerbates this condition and leads to cellular toxicity and impaired
immune function.
Did You Know?
Calcium Hydroxyapatite and Ipriflavone restore bone loss.
Coral calcium alkalinizes the
body to healthy pH levels.
These can eliminate many chronic and
degenerative diseases.
Calcium balance studies have
indicated that man can adapt to relatively low calcium intake by increasing
calcium absorption and decreasing urinary excretion The body adapts to a low
calcium intake by utilizing vitamin D to synthesize 1, 25 (OH)2 D3, the most
calcium-conserving substance. It increases calcium and phosphate absorption
in the small intestine and decreases calcium excretion in the urine.
However, a low phosphate diet increases and a high phosphate diet depresses
1, 25 (OH)2 D3. This is why excessive soft drink consumption which is high
in phosphates is dangerous. They trigger mechanisms in the body that
suppress calcium absorption from the small intestine into the body and
increase calcium excretion through the urine.
Besides 1, 25 (OH)2 D3 there are
two hormones that play a vital role in calcium metabolism: Calcitonin (CT)
and Parathyroid Hormone (PTH). CT and PHT regulate skeletal turnover of
calcium and availability of cytoplasmic calcium. The major skeletal effect
of PTH is to increase bone re-absorption by stimulating osteoclasts, thereby
increasing mobilization of calcium from the bone. PTH also favors cellular
uptake of calcium by soft tissues and phosphate excretion by the kidney. CT
has the opposite effect, that is, it increases deposition of calcium in the
bone matrix and blocks cellular uptake of calcium by the soft tissues.
Proven nutraceuticals and herbs
that support skeletal health and prevent degenerative bone loss (osteoporosis)
and joint stiffness (arthritis) are: Calcium hydroxyapatite, coral calcium,
glucosamine, chondroitin, organic silica, MSM methylsulfonylmethane, bamboo
stems, horsetail, curcumin, boswellia serrata, nettles and sea vegetation
The Vital Role of Magnesium
Magnesium suppresses PTH and
stimulates CT secretion, therefore favoring deposition of calcium in the
bone and removal of calcium from the soft tissue. Furthermore, magnesium
enhances calcium absorption and retention, whereas increasing calcium intake
suppresses magnesium absorption. In our society, magnesium deficiencies are
often caused by excessive calcium intake. This results in elevated PTH which
prevents the utilization of the absorbed calcium for bone formation and
favors soft tissue calcification. Is there any wonder why magnesium
deficiencies are most notable in heart attack victims? Could out of balance
and excessive calcium consumption by women be the reason for the huge
increase of female heart attacks over the last ten years?
While excessive calcium intake
causes magnesium deficiencies, higher magnesium intake increases the
intestinal absorption of calcium and increases serum ionized calcium.
Magnesium has a calcium-sparing effect and thereby decreases the need for
calcium.
Recent studies suggest that
calcium requirements are increased by an acidic, high-protein and high
sulfur diet. To increase the efficiency of calcium, every attempt should be
made to ingest foods containing a relatively equal ratio of magnesium to
calcium. These foods should be consumed in a neutral or alkaline base diet
without excessive phosphate, sulfur, proteins, refined sugar, fats and other
substances that drain the body of both calcium and magnesium. It is the
formulator's of the Skeletal Support Series opinion that the traditional 2
to 1 ratio of calcium over magnesium is a causal factor in most degenerative
skeletal disease states. A more beneficial ratio of calcium to magnesium is
closer to a 4:3 to even! This is how they have formulated their "Skeletal
Support Series" of products. All research over the last ten years on this
subject points to that reality.
When considering calcium
supplementation, it is important to remember that the average American gets
400 — 500 mg of calcium every day in their diet. Therefore, to achieve the
1000mg Daily Value, dietary supplementation should be no more than 500mg —
600mg per day.
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