| New research suggests that taking antioxidants may | | | | workings. Bones cannot continually generate |
| prevent bone loss in menopausal women, one of the | | | | unchecked, after all, or we would soon literally be |
| primary health concerns associated with this condition. | | | | swallowed by our own skeletons. But once estrogen |
| Every year, 500,000 American women suffer at least | | | | levels decrease, and osteoclast activity increases, |
| one fracture of the vertebrae, and 300,000 sustain hip | | | | osteoblasts – cells that develop bone – |
| fractures. Fractures related to osteoporosis, or the | | | | simply cannot keep pace. |
| thinning and weakening of bones, amounts to $10 billion | | | | One advantage of estrogen therapies has been to |
| every year in national healthcare costs, and | | | | keep the activity of the osteoclasts at bay. Such |
| approximately $977 million in Texas alone. In fact, 1.9 | | | | therapies are controversial, though. While maintaining |
| million Texans suffer from osteoporosis or bone loss | | | | levels of estrogen may reduce some of the |
| at any given moment -- and they're not all menopausal | | | | uncomfortable symptoms of menopause and |
| women. That means in every city and small town -- | | | | decrease chances of heart disease and osteoporosis, |
| from Dallas, to Houston, to Austin, to the Eastern plains | | | | they have also been linked with certain cancers. So |
| -- someone is significantly affected by weakening | | | | what if bone loss could be minimized, or better yet |
| bones. The repercussions this has for not only the | | | | halted, by a different method? |
| personal health of these individuals and their families, | | | | The Sir Joseph Hotung Centre for Musculoskeletal |
| but also on the health insurance and healthcare | | | | Disorders, at St. George's University of London, |
| industries, are huge. | | | | believes it may have a way. In other tissues, estrogen |
| The past ten years of study have indicated that | | | | "opposes the activity of reactive oxygen species," or |
| prevention early on in life is the best medicine. | | | | ROS, which, in turn stimulate NfKB -- a major |
| Menopausal women are, indeed, the most affected, | | | | intracellular signal that activates osteoclasts. In |
| and ladies in their premenopausal years do themselves | | | | experimental mice with ovariectomies, antioxidant |
| a favor when they watch their calcium and vitamin D | | | | defenses in bone marrow decreased, while |
| intake, as well as their levels of physical exercise and | | | | administering estrogen to them increased these |
| sunlight exposure -- all factors believed to affect the | | | | defenses. "What," you say. "Come again?" |
| formation of bone. Menopausal osteoporosis, then, is | | | | The theory states that estrogen may inhibit the activity |
| the result of bone levels achieved before menopause, | | | | of the osteoclasts by "opposing" the activity of ROS, |
| and the rate at which bone tissue deteriorates | | | | which stimulate NfKB, which then activates |
| afterwards. The stronger and denser the skeleton | | | | osteoclasts. By increasing antioxidant defenses in bone |
| becomes in youth, the more material the body has to | | | | marrow (done through estrogen or the administration |
| work with later on in life. | | | | of certain antioxidants), the degeneration process of |
| While levels of calcium, vitamin D, exercise, and sunlight | | | | bone may be halted or slowed. In other words, |
| exposure are key factors affecting skeletal health, | | | | antioxidants may, in the end, have the same effect as |
| pregnancy, nursing, immobility, and low estrogen levels | | | | estrogen therapy. Giving ascorbate or |
| may also weaken bones. Contrary to appearance, | | | | N-acetylcysteine (types of antioxidants) to |
| bones are not inanimate structures, but are living | | | | ovariectomised mice, actually prevented bone loss, a |
| tissues, constantly undergoing a cycle of breakdown | | | | significant finding considering that most treatments can |
| and regeneration. This process must be balanced; if | | | | only slow bone loss, at best. |
| breakdown of cells occurs at a faster rate than the | | | | The implication is that bone loss may be treated with |
| body can rebuild and replace them, then thinning of the | | | | antioxidants, versus other synthetic therapies. While |
| tissues occurs. Therefore, processes to ensure | | | | further experimentation is needed, it's a phenomenal |
| healthy regeneration are essential. | | | | breakthrough in Western medicine. Indeed, boneset -- a |
| All that hard work shoring up on bone tissue shows its | | | | plant believed to be high in antioxidants -- has been |
| greatest benefit during menopause, when estrogen | | | | used by Native American peoples to treat and speed |
| levels plummet. Estrogen, or oestrogen, appears to | | | | the healing of broken bones. The growing friendship |
| inhibit the activity of osteoclasts, cells that reabsorb | | | | between natural medicine and Western science just |
| bone tissue during the process of osteoclasis. Normally, | | | | may produce treatment options in the coming years |
| this reabsorption is an essential part of the body's inner | | | | we never would have thought possible. |