Have you heard that osteoporosis affects 21.9% of women and 6.7% of men over 50? If you didn't know, osteoporosis is a condition where your bones begin to weaken over time and are more likely to break. It's the culprit behind over 500,000 fragility fractures in the UK every year. And shockingly, the majority of these fractures are 'low trauma', which means they happen as a result of everyday activities, like bending, lifting, or even coughing! So, perhaps it’s not surprising that worrying about osteoporosis symptoms can often lead to lifestyle changes. For example, avoiding strenuous activity and exercise – which ironically can help prevent osteoporosis from worsening!
It's also tricky to know if you're developing osteoporosis because, for many people, the first sign of the disease is when you actually break a bone. Called 'the silent disease', the condition often takes hold gradually, over many years, with no warning signs.
With this in mind, we're sharing the few osteoporosis symptoms you can be on the lookout for, and who is most at risk from the disease. Plus – the 6 supplements that could help prevent you from developing osteoporosis, or slow it down – a simple step to protect yourself you can take right now!
What are osteoporosis symptoms to look out for and what causes it?
Osteoporosis develops when the amount of minerals in your bones goes down and the 'mass' of your bones decreases. Under a microscope, healthy bone looks like a honeycomb. If you have osteoporosis, the holes and spaces between the honeycomb are much larger. This weakens the quality and strength of the bone and increases your risk of breaking or fracturing it – often the first sign you have osteoporosis!
There are a few symptoms to be aware of though: constant back pain, caused by a collapsed bone in the spine. A loss of height over time, and a stooped posture, could also mean you've developed osteoporosis. Unfortunately, these osteoporosis symptoms tend to arrive when the disease is quite well established. So it's best not to wait for them to show up and take preventative action as early as you can.
This is especially important if you have any of the risk factors for developing osteoporosis. These include hormonal changes (like menopause), aging, and lifestyle factors, such as being a smoker or heavy drinker, a family history of the disease, and a low body weight. Research has also shown that exposure to air pollution can speed up the development of the disease. And a hot-of-the-press study suggested not getting enough sleep could have an impact on whether you get osteoporosis and the trajectory of the disease.
Another common risk factor is nutrient deficiencies, specifically in vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium. While you can't change your family history, or how your hormone levels affect your bone density, this is one osteoporosis trigger you can take action to protect yourself against. All you need to do is take a supplement. Hurrah! Super easy, even more so if you use our Osteoporosis Bundle!
Which supplements could help you slow down osteoporosis symptoms and when should you start taking them?
You're never too young to start! Research shows you reach your peak bone mineral density in your mid-20s, which is one of the main determinants of fracture risk later in life. So in theory, you should be making sure your bones have everything they need from your 20s onwards.
Too late for that? Don't panic, topping up your levels of these bone-supporting nutrients is beneficial at any age, but will have the most impact if you start in mid-life, when hormone levels begin the fluctuate.
Here's what we'd recommend to improve bone health and alleviate osteoporosis symptoms:
Calcium:
Put calcium at the top of your list, because 99% of your body's calcium is stored in your skeleton! It's an essential part of bone tissue and helps to keep it strong and dense. Studies have shown that taking calcium and vitamin D regularly could offer a 30% reduced risk of fractures – not to be sniffed at!
Just make sure you're taking it alongside vitamins D and K. Without these vital vits, your body won't be able to absorb the calcium into your bones properly. Vitamin K also directs calcium to your bones and helps prevent the calcium from being laid down in your arteries where it can cause problems. And guess what? Our vitamin D3/Calcium patch contains all three of these bone-protecting nutrients – plus magnesium. 4 must-haves for preventing osteoporosis symptoms in one go!
Vitamin D (and K):
If you want to protect your bones, vitamin D is an absolute must. It helps you absorb the calcium from food through your gut and maintains the proper balance of calcium and phosphate in your blood – crucial for bone formation. Getting your daily D also helps deposit calcium in the bone matrix, and influences the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. These special cells form new bone and break down old tissue. Supporting their function is essential if you want a healthy skeleton.
As discussed in our vitamin D/K blog, to get the most from your vitamin D supplement you also need to take vitamin K. These two work synergistically – a fancy way of saying they work better as a tag team – to provide the most effective bone-strengthening benefits. So if you're worried about osteoporosis symptoms, make sure you're taking the two together.
Magnesium:
Another bone-protecting hero you need in your life is magnesium. Which works together with calcium and vitamin D to harden and strengthen bones. Our fave functional medicine guru, Dr Rhonda Patrick, believes you're never too young to start taking it. That’s because having sufficient magnesium levels through your life is like an investment in your old age bone health. Plus, magnesium deficiency is extremely common. If you're not getting enough, Dr Patrick says that the body compensates by extracting it from your bones, weakening them, and increasing your chance of developing osteoporosis symptoms. A recent study showed that 40% of women with osteoporosis had low magnesium levels!
Struggle to remember to take your supplements? We'd heartily recommend the vitamin D3/Calcium patch, (which also contains magnesium) combined with our targeted magnesium supplement – the Tri-Mag patch, packed with a powerful complex of the three most bioavailable types of magnesium.
B vitamins: B6, B9 and B12:
Getting your B vitamins is another essential for the best bone health. B12 supports osteoblasts, the clever bone-building cells that keep your bones strong. But you also need to ensure you're getting enough B6, which studies have linked with higher mineral bone density and B9. Vitamin B9 helps to control the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the body which is linked with an increase in breaking a bone. If you want to cover all bases, we'd recommend the B12 Plus patch, which contains a comprehensive blend of B vitamins, including B6 and B9.
Vitamin C:
You might already be taking vitamin C to keep illness at bay, but this powerful antioxidant has bone-boosting properties too. Research has shown it can help to increase bone density, by helping your osteoblasts to mature faster, which helps your bones to absorb minerals and harden. Vitamin C can also help prevent osteoporosis by reducing the levels of free radicals your the body, which can weaken bones if their levels get too high. Two very good reasons to pop on a Vitamin C Plus patch to protect yourself from osteoporosis symptoms.
Collagen:
Not only will collagen help you maintain a youthful complexion, it could also help preserve and protect your bones. Your bones are made mostly of collagen and as you age, the collagen deteriorates, and your bone mass decreases. Leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis symptoms – sigh.
Research has shown that taking a collagen supplement could help to slow down the bone breakdown that leads to osteoporosis. In one study, a group of post-menopausal women who took collagen for a year saw an increase of up to 7% in their bone mineral density – wow! But it’s probably best to top up using a collagen powder which includes type l, because you need a large daily dose of 5 to 30g to achieve these kind of results. Take alongside our tailored Osteoporosis bundle and you’ll be unstoppable!