Osteoporosis is, from the point of view of biological medicine, a bone demineralisation.which is caused by a constant acidification of the tissues, due to a diet based on industrial or refined foods or too much protein or white sugar and low consumption of vegetables or whole grains.

Osteoporosis actually occurs when the bone renewal process breaks down, either because not enough new bone is created, or because bone resorption increases, or both.

Calcium loss or manganese deficiency?

Related to this issue of bone resorption, or in other words, the destruction of aged bone, there has been a recent and important research in Spain proposed by researchers from the UCLM (University of Castilla La Mancha) after studying deer antlers. The hypothesis was published in the journal Frontiers of Bioscience and has to be confirmed by the scientific community. According to this new theory, osteoporosis is not caused by calcium deficiency, but by a lack of manganese, a mineral essential for calcium absorption.

When less manganese is absorbed by the human body or when manganese is sent from the skeleton to other organs that require it, such as the brain, the calcium that is extracted at the same time is not absorbed correctly and is excreted in the urine. This is how osteoporosis slowly attacks. According to this research, calcium deficiency is not the cause but a consequence of osteoporosis.

The explanation for this new version of osteoporosis comes from a study by Dr. Tomás Landete, director of the Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, and his team of collaborators.

They investigated the huge number of deer antlers that had broken in 2005 in Spain and compared them with breaks in other farm animals, concluding that the weakening was due to manganese depletion caused by the deer's diet. That year there was a severe cold winter in our country which in turn caused the plants to reduce their manganese concentrations in response to the stress. In short, the deer's diet in 2005 was poorer in manganese because the plants, due to the cold, also had lower manganese concentrations.

Links to Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease

In the case of humans, these researchers suggest that manganese is extracted from bones when it is required by the "most important" organs, such as the brain. Researcher Tomás Landete adds that "bone maintenance is important, but even more important is sustaining the functioning of the brain, which uses 25% of our energy consumption when it is at rest".

The team also notes that when this vital mineral is depleted after the onset of osteoporosis, diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and senile dementia can occur.. To test this theory, data from 113 patients who underwent surgery for osteoporosis and osteoarthritis (wear and tear of joint cartilage) at Hellín Hospital in Albacete between 2008 and 2009 were analysed. Of those operated on for osteoporosis, 40% showed some form of brain dysfunction, while this was not the case in any of the 68 patients operated on for osteoarthritis.

Moreover, the percentage increases with age and only among patients with osteoporosis. Depletion of manganese reserves could be behind bone disease and brain degeneration. "We are collecting human bones to confirm this. However, studies in rats in which Alzheimer's disease has been induced by aluminium intoxication show how the severity of this disease, osteoporosis, increases, just as manganese levels decrease in the bones," says Landete.

The researcher also recalls studies linking manganese to Parkinson's disease and showing that astrocytes, which provide support to neurons, have specific enzymes that require manganese. In any case, the researchers state that their theory "is not a definitive solution to this type of disease, but constitutes the first step in a new direction" - a new direction that requires validation and confirmation by the scientific community.

Osteoporosis, such as bone demineralisation or acidification.

From the point of view of biological medicine and Biosalud, as Dr. Mariano Bueno, director of the centre, explains, osteoporosis is really a bone demineralisation, due to a defect in the diet, stress, emotional overload, intoxication by heavy metals, radiation and electromagnetic pollution. Tissue acidification occurs and the alkaline reserves of the bones - calcium, magnesium, phosphorus - migrate to compensate for this acidity and balance the pH.. This migration means that the bone loses density.

The key to the treatment of osteoporosis at Biosalud is that we provide personalised treatment, just as in the rest of the treatment units. We analyse the case and discover the causes that have generated the osteoporosis with three basic tests: the amino acid test, the oxidative stress test and a dietary study.

With this data, we will provide the patient with a personalised protocol, in which we will balance the pH by deacidifying with alkaline salts and, on the other hand, we will provide amino acids that give the bone more consistency: glycine, proline and lysine.

With this treatment, biological medicine brings a new approach to osteoporosis and provides a solution to the problems that this disease causes in many people.

Here you can see the video in which Dr. Mariano Bueno summarises the treatment for osteoporosis.

How does conventional medicine treat osteoporosis?

In Spain, there are about three million people who suffer from osteoporosis, and who are therefore more likely to suffer fractures than other people. Currently, the drug that is becoming widespread in conventional medicine in Spain to treat osteoporosis is teriparatide, which was approved in the United States in 2002 and in 2003 in the European Union.

Just this September, there has been a joint study by the Universitat Politécnica de Valencia and the Hospital Obispo Polanco de Teruel in which they have reached the conclusion that teriparatide is more effective in those patients who had a poorer quality of life and a higher baseline pain status when they were diagnosed with osteporosis.
According to this, if the effect of the drug is greater in patients with poorer health, it is these patients who should be prescribed the drug in priority to other patients, all of which could result in an optimisation of health care costs. To arrive at this theory, a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the European Quality of Life Questionnaire EQ-5D, formerly EuroQol, were used.

Regarding osteoporosis drugs, researchers at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) reviewed almost 300 studies conducted on the efficacy and side effects of osteoporosis drugs and the results have shown that the most commonly prescribed drugs only reduce the risk of fractures by 80%, They therefore recommend that any osteoporosis medication should be accompanied by adequate calcium intake, adequate vitamin D and exercise.

Natural treatments for osteoporosis

While some of the risks of osteoporosis are unavoidable, there are natural treatments that everyone can do to reduce their risk and strengthen their bones.

We recommend the following:

• Regular exercise, and especially weight-bearing exercise, is a good way to combat osteoporosis, as forcing the bone to bear a load or work against gravity induces the body to produce more bone cells.
• Drink some alcohol. Yes, this is correct. No wonder. Drinking 3-6 units of alcohol a week helps the body retain calcium and prevent osteoporosis by increasing oestrogen levels. But be careful, and stick to those limits, as drinking too much alcohol is known to damage overall health.
• Limit caffeine intake, as it can lead to some calcium loss. One cup of coffee a day is acceptable.
• Limit protein intake. Excessive protein intake causes calcium to be excreted. Over time, if not compensated by increased calcium intake, this loss will affect the bones.
• Consume magnesium. Studies show that magnesium, a mineral present in relatively large amounts in the body, is of fundamental importance for strengthening, preserving and rebuilding bones. In fact, half of the magnesium in our bodies is found in our bones. However, many people, especially women, do not get enough magnesium in their diet. Nuts (especially almonds), whole grains and broccoli have magnesium.
• Get some sunshine, as vitamin D, which depends on exposure to sunlight, helps the absorption of calcium from the intestines.
• Use vinegar in many menus, as vinegar helps to extract calcium from food when it is cooked or consumed.
• Eat an apple a day, as apples contain boron, which is a mineral that helps the body retain calcium.