Scientists are in the process of determining ways to keep bones strong and healthy in hopes of discovering how to prevent osteoporosis.

While some nutritionists believe that nutritional supplements such as vitamin D and calcium could be good for bone strength, researchers are examining a tissue culture that grows human bones.

Researchers from the University of Houston department of health have discovered a growing process similar to how bones grow in humans.

“We have manufactured a structure that has no synthetic components,” said Mark Clarke, the lead researcher. “It’s all made by the two cell types bones start with inside the body.”

One of their main goals behind this endeavor is to determine how bones are formed in hopes of getting a better understanding what’s good for them and what causes fractures. The researchers are primarily investigating the cause of weakened bones for post-menopausal women and spinal cord patients.

Clarke has had previous experience with studying bones, having worked with NASA studying the effects of calcium on bone loss.

A new study has proven that nutritional supplements such as vitamin D and calcium can prevent bone fractures, a practice many physicians have been recommending for quite some time.

Research conducted at UC Davis in Sacramento, California, revealed that individuals who take the nutritional supplements on a daily basis reduces the risk of bone fractures regardless of gender and age.

The findings represent a large effort from researchers around the world, determining the benefits of calcium and vitamin D in post-menopausal women, adult men and younger patients of both genders.

Various reports have confirmed that the supplements help post-menopausal women prevent osteoporosis, which affects roughly 8 million American women.

The researchers discovered that combining both of the supplements provides better results than when they are taken separately.

“This combination of supplements benefits both women and men of all ages, which is not something we fully expected to find,” explained co-author John Robbins, a professor at UC Davis. “We now need to investigate the best dosage, duration and optimal way for people to take it.”

Post-menopausal women who suffer from HIV have a higher risk of bone fractures, a new study suggests.

Although nutritional supplements such as vitamin D and calcium can help increase the strength of bones, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism indicates that therapies used to make HIV patients live longer can be detrimental to bone mineral density.

Previous studies have indicated that HIV patients have a higher prevalence of low bone density due to metabolic complications brought on by treatment.

It has also been found that post-menopausal women are among the highest groups for those at risk for osteoporotic fractures.

The new study decided to combine the groups, noting that there was a significant risk factor for those who suffer from both issues, making HIV-positive post-menopausal women one of the most susceptible groups to the ailment.

“Estrogen protects against the effect of cytokines on bone resorption,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Michael Yin. “Therefore, as HIV-positive women become estrogen deficient during menopause, they may be at higher risk for accelerated bone loss and fracture.”

Researchers with the University of Rochester Medical Center followed 166 women undergoing treatment for breast cancer and found that nearly 70 percent had low levels of vitamin D in their blood. The insufficient levels could contribute to decreased bone mass and increased risk of bone fractures.

“Vitamin D is essential to maintaining bone health, and women with breast cancer have accelerated bone loss due to the nature of hormone therapy and chemotherapy. It’s important for women and their doctors to work together to boost their vitamin D intake,” said Dr. Luke Peppone from Rochester’s James P. Wilmot Cancer Center.

Previous studies have shown that nearly half of all men and women are deficient in the nutrient.

Usnews.com reports that some dietary supplements offer multiple health benefits, including preventing individuals from developing certain diseases and cancers.

The website reports that while vitamin D supplements help with bone health, they may also help prevent certain cancers, and previous studies suggest it may even ward off tuberculosis, diabetes and even the common cold.

Fish oil supplements continue to be reported for health benefits, including improving heart-related conditions. Usnews.com cites a study found in The Lancet that revealed there was a slightly lower rate of deaths and hospitalizations in heart failure patients who were taking a 1,000 milligram fish oil supplement daily.

The American Heart Association suggests taking the supplements for those who don’t enjoy eating seafood twice a week. The recommended dosage for those who are at a high risk for heart attack is 1,000 milligrams.

The article is quick to point out that while these natural supplements are beneficial to humans, the dosages may vary due to age, race and gender.

An audit covering 1,600 women presenting to a specialist clinic with a fracture showed that 31% had suffered a previous break.

Yet only 28% had been put on recommended bone-protective drugs.

A GPs’ leader said more could be done to find women at risk, but side-effects stopped some patients taking the drugs.

Normal ageing can lead to osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become fragile and break easily. The fractures are most common in bones of the spine, wrists and hips.

Women are more at risk after the menopause because they lose oestrogen which protects bones from damage.

Current guidelines from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence say that women over the age of 75 who have had a fracture should automatically be offered preventive treatment with drugs such as bisphosphonates.

Because of the high risk of future fracture after a break, postmenopausal women under the age of 75 are supposed to have a bone density scan before being offered treatment if necessary.

Some experts argue that the guidelines do not go far enough, and more women with signs of bone-weakening should be offered protective therapy.

Poor uptake

In the latest analysis, 526 of 1641 postmenopausal women attending a fracture clinic had previously had a bone break, the QJM journal reported.

Overall, 27% of those were taking a bisphosphonate or other treatment such as calcium or vitamin D supplements.

Among the over-75s, only 45% were receiving bone protective therapy.

The study leader, Professor Julia Compston, said some areas of England may be better than others but the low levels of treatment found in the study were “broadly applicable” to the rest of the country.

She said reasons for lack of treatment included poor recording of fractures in patient notes; absence of incentives for GPs to treat osteoporosis, unlike many other chronic conditions; and the fact that patients “get lost” between hospitals and GPs because of poor communication.

“Someone needs to take responsibility for deciding whether a patient should be treated and there are a lot of processes that can fall down.

“Patients also need to be better informed that they might need treatment.”

In some areas of the country access to scans to measure bone density is problematic, she added.

Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said the study highlighted the fact that more could be done to make sure treatment was available.

“But these drugs can have very unpleasant side-effects – so some patients are offered them but stop taking them,” he said.

“Exercise and diet are also important.”

The study done by researchers in Hong Kong and published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry finds that EGC, a main compound in green tea, boosted the activity of a key enzyme that promotes bone growth by up to 79 percent.

EGC also significantly boosted levels of bone mineralization in the cells, which strengthens bones.
Researcher Ping Chung Leung notes that previous studies have already linked green tea to improved bone health, but says that few have been able to pinpoint the exact chemicals that are responsible for it.

The study suggests that increased consumption of green tea can prevent and treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases that affect millions worldwide.

In the U.S. today, 10 million individuals are estimated to already have osteoporosis and almost 34 million more are believed to be at an increased risk for the disease.

Muscle-strengthening exercise, as well as proper intake of calcium and vitamin D through food or nutritional health supplements have all been shown to lower the risk of developing osteoporosis.