The Better Bones Blog
by Dr. Susan Brown, PhD.
Bone mineral density alone does not predict fracture
Recently, two international studies verified what we in the Center for Better Bones have been saying for years about the fact that you cannot predict who will fracture by bone mineral density. In a 2006 German study, it was determined that 7.8 million Germans have osteoporosis as defined by bone density. That is, 7.8 million […]
Increase your potassium intake
Ever wonder if or why you should up your dietary potassium intake? Potassium is a “hidden,” yet great, bone builder due to its role in protecting bone from the ravages of metabolic acidosis. As it occurs, the typical Western diet leads to an accumulation of excess acids in the body. These acids must be buffered […]
Smoking and Bone Loss- Are You at Risk?
It has long been suggested that smoking and bone loss are connected, but the extent to which smoking increased fracture risk was uncertain. Now, a recent meta-analysis of studies from all over the world has found that smoking is associated with a significantly increased risk of hip and other osteoporotic fractures in both men and […]
High-dose vitamin K: New-found protection from bone fracture and cancer?
In September of 2008, I attended the large American Society for Bone Mineral Research Meeting held in Montreal, Canada. Generally these meetings are dominated by pharmacological approaches to bone health, but, looking at the big book schedule of lectures, I was delighted to find an entire session on vitamin K. In this session, several of […]
How to tell if you are losing bone without a bone density test
While most doctors tend to monitor bone density with the dual-energy x-ray absorptiomentry (DEXA) test, there is another, less expensive test helpful in determining if you are currently losing bone. This test, called the cross-linked N-teleopeptide (or NTx for short), is a simple urine or blood test known as a “marker of bone resorption.” When you […]
DEXA Scan Accuracy – How Reliable Is It?
Nearly every day I see women and physicians themselves getting very worried when a woman’s bone density tests show even a small 1-2% decline. Women are often told their fracture risk has greatly increased and that they should immediately begin osteoporosis drug therapy. For many women, the growing “osteoporosis fear” is fueled by small reductions […]