Low magnesium levels makes Vitamin D ineffective

Vitamin D can't be metabolized without sufficient magnesium levels. Without magnesium, Vitamin D is not really useful or safe," says study co-author Mohammed S. Razzaque, MBBS, PhD, a professor of pathology at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Razzaque explains that consumption of Vitamin D supplements can increase calcium and phosphate levels even if Vitamin D is deficient. People may suffer from vascular calcification if their magnesium levels aren't high enough to prevent the complication.

Patients with optimum magnesium levels require less Vitamin D supplementation to achieve sufficient Vitamin D levels. Magnesium also reduces osteoporosis, helping to mitigate the risk of bone fracture that can be attributed to low levels of Vitamin D. Deficiency in either of these nutrients is reported to be associated with various disorders, including skeletal deformities, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome.

While the recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 420 mg for males and 320 mg for females. Magnesium status is low in people who consume processed foods that are high in refined grains, fat, phosphate, and sugar. Consuming an optimal amount of magnesium may lower the risks of Vitamin D deficiency, and reduce the dependency on Vitamin D supplements.

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body after calcium, potassium, and sodium. Foods high in magnesium are almonds, bananas, beans, broccoli, brown rice, cashews, egg yolk, fish oil, flaxseed, green vegetables, milk, mushrooms, nuts, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds, sweet corn, tofu, and whole grains.
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Calcium and Vitamin D supplements not responsible for heart attack

New research from the University of Southampton has found no association between the use of calcium or vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular events such as heart attacks. Calcium and vitamin D supplements, which usually come in the forms of tablets, are widely used and have been generally viewed as relatively safe, but some researchers have previously raised concerns over potential links with cardiovascular disease.

Investigators from the Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton (MRC LEU), used the internationally unique UK Biobank cohort, comprising over 500,000 men and women aged between 40 and 69 years, to explore relationships between use of calcium and vitamin D supplementation and the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks.

The analysis accounted for a wide range of other potential influences, and did not detect any statistically significant associations between use of the supplements and events such as heart attacks, hospital admission for angina, or related deaths.

Calcium and vitamin D supplements are widely used in the population, and are particularly appropriate for those at risk of deficiency in either nutrient. In this situation there is good evidence that they provide a modest reduction in fracture risk, although do not replace medications specifically licensed for the treatment of osteoporosis.
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Cancer survivors age faster and die younger

Childhood cancer survivors naturally age faster and are more likely to die sooner than those who have not had the disease, according to a new study. The research also showed that survivors are three to six times more likely to develop cancer again. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, found that hormonal/gland disorders (endocrinopathies), heart problems, lower bone mineral density, lung scarring (pulmonary fibrosis) and secondary cancers are more likely to occur in childhood cancer survivors later in life.

Frailty to bones and joints may also occur at an earlier age than the general population due to the damage caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy to normal healthy tissues. The cancer and harsh treatments diminishes 'physiological reserve', the capacity in organs and biological body systems given to us at birth. These are the body's natural resilience to overcome internal and external biological stressors.

Other findings showed that childhood cancer survivors' estimated life expectancy is 30 percent lower than that of the general population. Also, the risk of frailty among bone marrow transplant recipients is around eight times as high as that of their siblings. Radiation therapy is associated with dementia, memory loss and secondary bone marrow cell and blood cancers, while long-term steroid treatment is linked to a higher risk of cataracts, osteoporosis, nerve damage and infection.
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Low protein diet for longevity

Having a low-protein diet early in life may help you live longer. A study found fruit flies which share more than two thirds of humans genes live twice as long when given minimal protein diet at tender age. A typical western diet is high in protein and fats from meat, diary, and eggs with red meat in linked to heart disease and cancer. There is an evidence that eating too much protein long-term can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis and kidney problems.

The researchers also believe their findings could be explained because a low-protein diet produces less toxic lipids secreted by the skin. Health skin lipids form a natural barrier keeping out dirt, impurities and harmful chemicals that can accelerate ageing. Scientists used the fly drosophila melanogaster to understand how diet in early life acts to alter lifespan. These insects are used in lifespan experiments because it lives for only two to three months.

The team stressed that there was enough evidence to recommend pregnant women go on low-protein diets to boost their unborn child's health. There is evidence in humans and other mammals that a mother's diet can alter the risk of her offspring developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes later in life, but the genetic processes underlying this effect remain to be identified.
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Air pollution increases the risk of untimely death

Air pollution could cause brittle bone disease, according to new research. The study linked pollution exposure to low levels of parathyroid hormone, which regulates calcium production, leading to weaker bones and more hospitalizations for fractures. Smog-filled towns and cities have been linked to an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, acute respiratory diseases such as asthma and dementia.

The pollutant particle was linked to higher levels of parathyroid hormone, a small rise in PM2.5 concentrations would lead to an increase in bone fractures in older adults. Those living in areas high in PM2.5 and black carbon from heavy traffic had lower levels of parathyroid hormone, which is key to building calcium, and less bone mineral density than others exposed to less of the pollutants.

Osteoporosis, the most common reason for a broken bone among the elderly, is a disease in which bones become brittle and weak as the body loses more bone mass than it can rebuild. Particulate matter, including PM2.5, is known to cause systemic oxidative damage and inflammation, which they suggest, could accelerate bone loss and increase risk of bone fractures in older individuals. Smoking which contains several particulate matter components has been consistently associated with bone damage.

Within a year of a bone fracture, death risks for older individuals increase by up to 20 percent, with only 40 percent regaining full independence. Vitamin B can reduce pollution fueled cardiovascular disease, and damage to DNA. The best way to prevent air-pollution-related diseases is through policies to improve air quality. Air pollution is considered the most important risk factor for mortality at the population level, it is also a risk factor for osteoporosis.
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Breast cancer can be dormant for years

Breast cancer can return 20 years after a woman is first diagnosed, women might be told to continue taking hormonal drugs for longer than the current five years, in a bid to stop tumours returning. Scientists analysed data from clinical trials involving different women, all of whom had the most common form of breast cancer caused by the hormone oestrogen.

Breast cancet patient received pill treatments such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors which block the effects of oestrogen or shut off the hormone's supply. After five years of therapy, their cancers had gone and they stopped taking the drugs. But monitoring the women's progress revealed recurrences of the disease up to 15 years later – 20 years after initial diagnosis.

Women who started off with large tumours and cancer that had spread to four or more lymph nodes faced the highest risk of recurrence, they had a 40 per cent risk of cancer returning in a different part of the body over a period of 15 years after treatment. For patients diagnosed with small, low-grade cancers that had not spread the risk was 10 per cent.

Recent research has suggested that extending hormone therapy to 10 years may be more effective at preventing breast cancer recurrence and death, five years of tamoxifen reduces the risk of recurrence after treatment. Aromatase inhibitors, which only work for post-menopausal women are more effective.

However, some patients choose to stop the hormone treatments early because of side effects such as menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, joint pain or carpal tunnel syndrome.This research shows that stopping hormone treatment at five years leaves women with an ongoing risk of breast cancer coming back in future.
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Celiac disease after diabetes

Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease are closely related genetically, People with one disease tend to get the other. People who have type 1 diabetes autoantibodies should get screened for celiac autoantibodies. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that causes the body's immune system to mistakenly attack the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, insulin is a hormone that sends the sugar from foods into the body's cells to be used as fuel. Because the autoimmune attack leaves people with type 1 diabetes without enough insulin, they must replace the lost insulin through injections or an insulin pump with a temporary tube inserted under the skin.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the lining of the small intestine when gluten is consumed, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. Gluten is a protein found in wheat. Symptoms of celiac disease include stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, weight loss, fatigue, delayed growth and puberty.

Early diagnosis of celiac disease is important to initiate treatment with a gluten-free diet to prevent complications, particularly growth retardation in children. Other complications are iron-deficiency anemia, osteoporosis, skin rash lymphoma and carcinoma of the small intestine. Treatment for the disease is avoiding eating or drinking anything containing gluten.

The researchers carried out autoantibody test on many children and follow them up for 66 months. Autoantibodies linked to type 1 diabetes were found in some of the children while some have autoantibodies linked to celiac disease. Some of the children have both, the results showed the link between the two diseases, type 1 diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for the development of celiac disease.
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Steroid hormone and age related bone loss

A group of steroid hormones could provide new insight into the bone loss and deterioration that occurs with aging, protein histone deacetylase 3, HDAC3, turns off the genes that encourage the stem cells in our bone marrow to make and store fat instead of making bone. As HDAC3 levels decrease naturally with age, bones become less dense and easily breakable.

 Looking at a group of steroid hormones known as glucocorticoids, which our bodies naturally have in circulation as a response to different stresses to help quiet the immune response, when these hormones enter bone cells, osteoblasts that make bone bind to a receptor that activates the expression of genes related to fat storage.

To get that effect of bone loss and increased marrow fat when you lose HDAC3, glucocorticoids must be present. Releasing glucocorticoids in response to various stimuli is a natural thing that body does, circulating glucocorticoid levels increase with age.

As with a lot of chemicals in the body, too much and not enough of something can be bad. While glucocorticoids occur naturally in the body, they are also used in various immune-suppressive therapies, many of which have osteoporosis as a side effect.

Researchers studied mice without receptors for the steroid hormones. The mice were placed on a calorie-restricted diet to stimulate the aging process which also has been shown to result in lower bone density and increased marrow fat. Extreme caloric restriction, such as with anorexia nervosa, can also lead to weak and brittle bones.

When looking at the bone cells in a culture dish, the receptor deficient mice show less lipid storage than regular mouse models of aging. They also showed more bone matrix, which is the cause of bone formation. Examination of tibia and femur in a living animal showed the receptor deficient mice actually had more marrow fat and lower bone mass.
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Dangers of taking excess caffeine

Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in tea, coffee and cacao plants, it stimulates the brain and central nervous system. Regular intake of caffeine lowers the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Taking excess caffeine increases the amount of acid in the stomach and may cause heartburn or upset the stomach. Excess caffeine consumption may raise blood pressure.

An overdose of caffeine may cause rapid or irregular heartbeat and breathing trouble. In rare cases, caffeine overdose can result in death due to convulsions or irregular heartbeat.

Drinking caffeine in large amounts may interfere with absorption and metabolism of calcium, this can cause osteoporosis. Too much caffeine can also cause slowed fetal growth and increased risk of miscarriage.
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Early Antiretroviral therapy linked with bone loss

A new study has discovered that early antiretroviral drugs ART causes bone loss compared with deferring ART.
Researchers examined HIV patients that used ART early and those that delayed treatment.

They discovered that early ART prevents HIV transmission but causes bone loss. Early treatment is also associated with increased bone loss of about 2-4%, this rate of bone loss will slow down after two years of treatment.

Antiretroviral drugs may cause broken bones as you get older, you can reduce the risk by engaging in simple exercise like walking and running.

Presently their is no cure for HIV, if you stop taking your drugs because of side effects of ART, your viral load will be high and the virus may become resistance to drug, you can manage the condition by taking calcium and vitamin D supplement to prevent osteoporosis.

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Plants protein can prevent early menopause

Menopause occurs when ovaries stop producing the hormone known as estrogen that controls the reproductive cycle.

Early menopause is the ending of ovarian function before age 45, it is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and early cognitive decline.

Scientists examined many women for two decades and discovered that those who eat more of plants protein had a 59 per cent lower risk of an early menopause than those that eat less.

They discovered that high consumption of plants protein is linked to a lower risk of early menopause. According to the new research, women can lower their risk of reaching menopause early by eating plants protein

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Diet rich in vitamin D prevents early menopause

Women can reduce their risk of an early menopause by eating oily fish and eggs, regular intake of foods rich n vitamin D lowers early menopause by 17 percent.

Calcium-rich foods make women 13 percent less likely to suffer early menopause, some women experience menopause before age 45, this increases  their risk of osteoporosis and heart disease, and reducing their chances of conceiving.

There is really good laboratory evidence that vitamin D increases the production of hormones which slow down ovarian ageing and slow down the rate at which a woman loses her eggs.

 This is important because menopause comes when a woman has no eggs left.
Calcium could also influence ovarian ageing, because it is present with hormones in cows' milk like progesterone, which may also reduce risk of early menopause.

How to treat osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease that decreases bone mass and deteriorates bone tissue that leads to an increased risk of bone fragility and fracture, especially in the hip, spine, and wrist.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) recommends in an evidence-based clinic that physicians should treat women with osteoporosis with bisphosphonates (alendronate, risedronate, or zoledronic acid) or denosumab, a biologic agent.

The evidence suggests that physicians should treat women with osteoporosis with drug therapy for five years.

Continuing treatment after five years may be appropriate after reassessing the risks and benefits of continuing therapy.

ACP recommends that physicians should offer drug treatment with bisphosphonates to reduce the risk for vertebral fracture in men with osteoporosis.

Drinking tequila can prevent osteoporosis

Osteoporosis occurs when the body fails to replace old bone with new. This results in porous and weak skeleton.

Scientists found that substances from the tequila plant may help boost levels of calcium and magnesium, minerals that help keep bones strong.

The study found that sugars from the tequila plant could be used to treat osteoporosis, an agonising condition caused by the weakening of the bones.

Researchers found the blue variety of the Agave tequilana plant, which is used to make tequila, could help to keep the bones healthy.

Substances in the plant improve the absorption of calcium and magnesium in the body, which are essential minerals to help maintain bone health.

Dr Mercedes López, leader of the project from the Centre for Research and Advanced Studies in Mexico, said: 'The consumption of fructans contained in the agave, in collaboration with adequate intestinal micriobiota, promotes the formation of new bone.

To investigate the effects of the tequila plant, the researchers conducted experiments with mice. They removed  the ovaries from female mice in order to induce osteoporosis.

Researchers then fed the mice sugars from the tequila plant. After eight weeks bone samples were taken to measure the absorption of minerals and osteocalcin, a protein that indicates the production of new bone.

Dr López said: 'It was found that mice that consumed this fructans [sugars] synthesized nearly 50 per cent more of such protein, in addition that the diametre of their bones was higher compared with the subjects which were not supplied with derivatives of the agave.'

The substances help boost calcium levels by travelling to the large intestine, where they interact with bacteria in the gut.

Once in the large intestine, the agave sugars are able to 'catch' calcium and magnesium molecules and help transport them through the cells of the body.

'This way, we have a second chance to take advantage of the nutrients that were no longer available to the body,' Dr López said.

'However, it is very important that people have a healthy intestinal microbiome, because only then it is possible that bacteria ferment fructans to transform them into fatty acids.'

Insufficient sleep can affect bone formation

Insufficient sleep can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, bone loss and have negative impact on your health.

According to national sleep foundation, the appropriate sleep duration for newborns is between 14 and 17 hours, between 12 and15 hours for infants, 11 and 14 hours for toddlers, 10 and 13 hours  for preschoolers, 9 and 11 hours for school-aged, 8 and 10 hours for teenagers, 7 and 9 hours for young adults and 7 and 8 hours for older adults.

Three weeks of insufficient sleep can reduce levels of marker of bone formation in the blood, because lack of sleep alter bone balance and create a potential bone loss that can cause bone fracture and osteoporosis.

Inadequate sleep is very dangerous for bone formation in children because bone formation at tender age is very important for bone growth and long-term skeletal health in future.