Nexus - 0506 - New Times Magazine-pages

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increases the risk to 100 per cent.” It is obvious that the many risks of HRT far outweigh the rather limited beneficial effects on bone, especially when there are many other safe and effective alternatives. Is the increased risk of a life-threatening disease really worth it? increases the risk to 100 per cent.” It is obvious that the many and processed foods which have high levels of phosphorus have risks of HRT far outweigh the rather limited beneficial effects on been found to have an alarming loss of bone mass.” Too high a bone, especially when there are many other safe and effective ratio of phosphorus in relationship to calcium will cause calcium alternatives. Is the increased risk of a life-threatening disease to be pulled out of the bones in an attempt to compensate. really worth it? Scientific evidence shows unequivocally that, by themselves, calcium supplements just don't work.” And contrary to popular THE CALCIUM DEFICIENCY MYTH thought, calcium supplementation does not reduce the risk of frac- When asked about the causes of osteoporosis, most people will ture. There is now evidence that a high calcium supplement level chime in with "Lack of calcium". This idea is reinforced on a is actually associated with a 50 per cent increase in the risk of daily basis as women are reminded to drink their three glasses of _ fracture.** However, as yet, there remains no proof that increasing milk a day and take their calcium supplements. Even young, the calcium intake with supplements or diet after menopause pre- healthy, non-osteoporotic women are paranoid about potential vents fractures. In fact, several studies indicate that it doesn't bone loss and take measures to shore up their bone strength with __ really appear to lower the incidence of fractures at all. In Science plenty of calcium. Fear of insufficient calcium has become a (August 1978) it was stated the "link between calcium and osteo- national obsession. Is there really a national calcium deficit? porosis was made on insufficient grounds" and that the advertisers Since bone is largely composed of calcium, it might appear log- were way out ahead of the scientific evidence. But a diet rich in ical to link calcium intake with bone calcium in early childhood and pre- health. Western women are now menopausal years does build encouraged to consume at least 1,000 In a year-long study of 22 stronger bones, reducing risk of thin to 1,500 mg of calcium daily. It is postmenopausal women, there bones after menopause. curious, however, when cross-cultural The worst calcium supplements data clearly shows that in less-devel- | WAS NO significant improvement in are bone meal, oyster shell and oped countries—where people con- calcium levels when their diets dolomite because they cannot be sume little or no dairy products and efficiently absorbed and may contain ingest less total calcium—there are were supplemented daily with lead. Excessive calcium intake also much lower rates of osteoporosis.* three 300 mL glasses of skim milk leads to constipation and, more wor- The Bantu of Africa have the low- risome, kidney stones and calcifica- est rates of osteoporosis of any cul- (equivalent to 1 500 mg tion of the joints. The most effective ture, yet they consume from 175 to i form of supplementation is hydrox- 476 mg of calcium daily. The of calcium). yapatite (especially if it is formulated Japanese average about 540 mg daily, with boron). This is the most natural but the early postmenopausal spina of all calcium supplements and a fractures so common in the West are almost unheard of in Japan. complete bone food.” Overall, their spinal fracture rate is one-half that of the US. All And what about dairy foods for bones? Dr Michael Colgan, a this is true, even though the Japanese have one of the longest life well-known researcher in nutrition, an author and the founder of spans of any population. Studies of populations in China, the Colgan Institute in the US, has said: "The medical advice to Gambia, Ceylon, Surinam, Peru and other cultures all report simi- drink milk to prevent osteoporosis is self-serving poppycock." lar findings of low calcium intake and low osteoporosis rates.“ After all we've been indoctrinated with, it's a shocking revelation Anthropologist Stanley Garn, who studied bone loss over a 50- to discover that dairy products contribute to bone loss. The coun- year period in people in North and Central America, failed to find _ tries that consume the highest amounts of dairy products also have a link between calcium intake and bone loss.* the highest rates of osteoporosis; the non-dairy-consuming coun- While it is agreed upon that adequate calcium is absolutely nec- tries have the lowest osteoporosis rates. essary for development and maintenance of healthy bones, there is In the body's wisdom, the highest priority is to maintain the no one standard ideal calcium intake. It is also obvious from proper acid/alkali balance in the blood. A high protein diet of these studies that high calcium intake is not necessary for healthy meat and dairy products poses a great osteoporosis risk because it bones. makes the blood highly acidic. Calcium must then be extracted There is certainly a problem with bone health in Western cul- from the bones in order to restore proper balance. Since calcium tures. However, other vital factors that determine the complex in the blood is used by every cell in the body to maintain its process of healthy bones must be understood. Bones are affected _ integrity, the body will sacrifice calcium in the bone to maintain by: the intake of other bone-building nutrients; consumption of homeostasis in the blood. potentially bone-damaging substances like excess protein, salt, In a year-long study of 22 postmenopausal women, there was saturated fat and sugar; the use of some drugs, alcohol, caffeine no significant improvement in calcium levels when their diets and tobacco; the level of physical exercise; exposure to sunlight were supplemented daily with three 300 mL glasses of skim milk and environmental toxins; the impact of stress; the removal of the (equivalent to 1,500 mg of calcium). The authors stated this out- ovaries and uterus; and many factors that limit endocrine gland come was due to "the average 30% increase in protein intake dur- functioning. ing milk supplementation". Since skim milk contains almost dou- There are at least 18 key bone-building nutrients essential for ble the protein of whole milk, it promotes an even greater rate of optimum bone health. If one's diet is low in any of these nutri- calcium excretion.” ents, the bones will suffer. They include phosphorus, magnesium, Ina recently published 12-year study of nearly 78,000 women it manganese, zinc, copper, boron, silica, fluorine, vitamins A, C, D, was concluded that milk consumption does not protect against hip B6, B12, K, folic acid, essential fatty acids and protein. or forearm fracture. Female milk-drinkers actually had a signifi- The body uses minerals only when they are in proper balance. cantly increased risk of fracture, and teenage milk-drinking was For example, girls who consume diets high in meat, soft drinks not protective against osteoporosis.*" NEXUS ¢ 25 OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1998