OSTEOPOROSIS – SCURVY OF THE BONE

BY FRED G. ARNOLD, NMD

Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become less dense and more likely to fracture. In the United States, more than 40 million people either already have osteoporosis or are at high risk due to low bone mass.1 As many as half of all women and a quarter of men older than 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis.2 In osteoporosis, there is a loss of bone tissue that leaves bones less dense and more likely to fracture. It can result in a loss of height, severe back pain, and change in one’s posture. Osteoporosis can impair a person’s ability to walk and can cause prolonged or permanent disability. The precursor to osteoporosis is a condition called osteopenia, where the bone material density is also lower than normal but not as severe as osteoporosis.

The traditional approach to treat osteoporosis is with the use of a class of drugs called bisphosphates (alendronate, ibandronate, uisedronate). Although these medications have been reported to decrease the incidence of osteoporotic fractures, their use has been associated with a number of serious side effects including esophageal ulceration, atrial fibrillation and osteonecrosis of the jaw.3

Dr. Thomas Levy, MD, JD
Dr. Levy refers to osteoporosis as a focal scurvy of the bones and presents compelling evidence regarding the role of Vitamin C for the treatment of bone loss resulting in osteoporosis. Most people have heard of scurvy and how Vitamin C prevents this very serious disease. What most people may not be aware of is that Vitamin C helps the body to build bone collagen, comprising 90% of bone framework required for bone strength.4

Scientific Research
Numerous studies have demonstrated that Vitamin C significantly reduces the risk of fractures. Vitamin C’s protective and regenerative affects reduces inflammation in the bones and prevents the loss of calcium from the bones. Vitamin C stimulates the bone forming cells called osteoblasts to produce bone and inhibits the bone-destroying cells called osteoclasts, to prevent bone breakdown. This results in significantly greater bone mineral density and lowers the risk of osteoporotic fractures in elderly individuals. It is interesting that elderly patients who have sustained an osteoporotic fracture have significantly lower Vitamin C blood levels than those who are fracture free.5

Other osteoporosis reversal agents include magnesium, Vitamin K, Vitamin D, essential fatty acids and hormones such as estrogen, testosterone and thyroid. These agents are involved in bone loss; however, the rebuilding of new bone requires adequate vitamin C. Vitamin C decreases bone resorption, increases bone synthesis, results in greater bone density, accelerates fracture healing and is essential for normal bone integrity. Another added benefit of Vitamin C is its ability to decrease mortality due to a variety of diseases.6

Vitamin C Dosing
Vitamin C is virtually non-toxic at any dose with no definable toxic level ever defined. Taking Vitamin C orally in doses greater than a few grams may result in temporary diarrhea until the body adjusts to higher dosages. Vitamin C may also be taken as intravenous (IV) nutrition at higher levels without the effects to the digestive tract noticed by oral supplementation that may cause diarrhea.6

Summary
Vitamin C plays an integral role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and the maintance of overall health. As in the treatment of scurvy, a collagen deficient disease, Dr. Levy’s research has demonstrated the collagen building effects of Vitamin C as essential to strong bones and reducing the incidence of osteoporotic fractures. Vitamin C should be a daily supplement to prevent osteoporosis and improve one’s overall quality of life.

References:

1. NIH Senior Health, Osteoporosis, What is Osteoporosis, nihseniorhealth. gov/osteoporosis
2. MedlinePlus, A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/osteoporosis.html
3. Gaby, Alan R., MD, Nutritional Medicine, Osteoporosis, Fitz Perlberg Publishing, Concord, NH, pp. 636-657.
4. Munday K, Fulford A, Bates CJ., Vitamin C status and collagen cross-link ratios in Gambian children. Br J Nutr. 2005 Apr;93(4):501-7
5. Maehata Y, Takamizawa S, Ozawa S, Izukuri K, Kato Y, Sato S, Lee MC, Kimura A, Hata R, Type III collagen is essential for growth acceleration of human osteoblastic cells by ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, a long-acting vitamin C derivative. Matrix Biol. 2007 Jun;26(5):371-81. Epub 2007 Jan 19
6. Levy, Thomas E., MD, JD, Death By Calcium, The Toxic Supplement, Seminar Conference, Pocatello, Idaho, August 10-11, 2013

With over 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Fred G. Arnold, N.M.D specializes in Pain Rehabilitation services. He is a Diplomate of the American Academy Health Care Providers, A Fellow of American Academy of Ozonotherapy (FAAOM), member of American Academy of Pain Management and he is one of the few physicians in the nation with both a naturopathic medical degree and chiropractic degree. Dr. Arnold provides Vitamin C as part of his regular treatment protocol with oral supplementation and IV Therapies. www.prolotherapyphoenix.com. 602-292-2978.