Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Is Sugar Bad For Your Bones

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Why Diabetes Is Bad For Your Bones

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Blood sugar, Health News, Vitamin D

Diabetes comes with a long list of complications that affect so many parts of your body your brain, your heart, your eyes, your feet, your skin, your kidneys.

These complications dont happen to everyone with diabetes. But the longer you have the disease and the worse your blood sugar control is, the more likely you are to eventually develop one of them.

Why does diabetes impact so many different organs and systems in your body?

Because the excess sugar in your blood can damage your body in a multitude of ways. It can damage the walls of tiny blood vessels known as capillaries that supply blood to your nerves, particularly in your legs, and lead to nerve damage. It can damage the filtering system in your kidneys that removes waste from your blood, eventually triggering kidney failure. It can damage the blood vessels in your retina, causing vision problems or even blindness. And now a new study shows this damage can extend to your bones as well

This study found that people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of developing serious bone fractures that threaten their independence and mobility.

Milk And Osteoporosis Is Dairy Really Good For Your Bones

Dairy products are the best sources of calcium, and calcium is the main mineral in bones.

For this reason, health authorities recommend consuming dairy products every day.

But many people wonder whether they really need dairy in their diet.

This evidence-based review looks into the science.

Sugar Speeds Up Bone Deterioration

It is vital for children and teenagers to build strong bones during their growth period. This requires the presence of nutrients, especially calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. Our bone tissue is constantly replenished, and as long as the bone-building processes take place at a faster rate than bone deterioration, we are able to maintain healthy bones. However, the deterioration of our bones starts to speed up around the age of 30, and sugar can accelerate the process in different ways.

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A Quick Primer On Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a progressive disease in which bones deteriorate, losing mass and minerals over time.

The name is very descriptive of the nature of the disease: osteoporosis = porous bones.

It has many different causes and factors that are completely unrelated to nutrition, such as exercise and hormones .

Osteoporosis is much more common in women than in men, especially after menopause. It significantly increases the risk of bone fractures, which can have a very negative effect on quality of life.

Possible Ways To Avoid The Progression Of Osteoarthritis And Joint Pain

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There are several ways to prevent osteoarthritis and joint pain, or the progress of this disease on people who are already diagnosed with it.

1. Reduce the consumption of soft drinks. Since most studies have not succeeded in clearly establishing a direct link between soft drinks and their effect on bone health, it would be a good measure to reduce your consumption of soft drinks or avoid it altogether. Studies that provided participants with separate soft drink ingredients have not found any strong evidence that these ingredients can separately produce effects which are dangerous to bone health.

2. Increase your consumption of milk and orange juice, and other foods which are good sources of calcium to increase bone health.

3. Take calcium and vitamin D supplements. People who suffer from certain types of diseases may find it difficult to maintain healthy levels of calcium and vitamin D because of their bodys incapacity to properly absorb and process calcium and vitamin D. You can give a try to joint pain product such as MegaRed Advanced 4-in-1 to deal with arthritis joint pain.

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Diabetes Puts You At Risk For Hip And Other Debilitating Fractures

Researchers from the University of Sheffield just dove into the bone health repercussions of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and its not a pretty picture

In the study, researchers reviewed health records from previous studies and determined that people with diabetes have a higher risk of developing hip and non-vertebral fractures .

Like other diabetes complications, researchers found that the risk of bone fractures was higher for people who had the disease longer and those whose blood sugar control was worse. The risk was also higher for those with type 1 diabetes versus those with type 2 diabetes. But people with type 2 diabetes who used insulin had a higher risk too.

How Much Sugar Do We Consume

Americans today eat a whopping 139 pounds of sugar per year.

That averages out to about 43 teaspoons a day!

Compare that to our grandparents who ate just about four teaspoons a day.

And when I talk about sugar I dont just mean my Peppermint Patties or a teaspoon of sugar in your coffee. I mean all the foods and drinks that easily break down into sugar when you eat them. Things like bagels, bread, crackers, and pretzels will get you to the same place as sucking on a few lumps of sugar. And sugar is hidden in most processed foods today like ketchup, salad dressings, canned soup, and sports drinks.

All that sugar may be more addictive than drugs. In one study researchers allowed rats access to two areas. In one area, the rats were fed Oreo cookies. In another they received rice cakes. All the rats started hanging out in the Oreo area hoping for another fix.

Then the researchers looked at the rats brains. They found Oreos activated significantly more neurons than cocaine or morphine on the brains opioid receptors. In other words, the Oreos were more addictive than heroin and cocaine.

And theres more:

The data is so overwhelming the field has to accept it. We are finding tremendous overlap between drugs in the brain and food in the brain. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse

You and your bones dont have to be the victims of a sugar addiction. Heres what to do.

Would you and your bones like to spend a weekend with me?

Rest-Restore-Rejuvenate

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Reason #: Sugar Destroys Your Brain

If any reason should shake you up, this is it. Sugar messes with your mind, and I dont mean the way the leftover holiday cookies are calling your name. Its much worse. Sugar actually contributes to Alzheimers disease, one of the most devastating examples of degenerative brain damage in our society today.

Sugar promotes the formation of something called Advanced Glycation End products, or AGEs. AGEs are proteins that have been glycated, or bonded to a sugar molecule. So obviously, the presence of sugar means more opportunities for these proteins to bond with a sugar molecule to create an AGE. Combined with the prevalence of protein throughout the body, consuming sugar means that AGEs have the potential to be absolutely everywhere.

Sugar Weakens Your Bones And Increases The Risk Of Fractures In The Young And Elderly

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We consume far too much sugar from candy, soft beverages or in the form of concealed sugar in our food. This impairs the bodys uptake and utilization of calcium and magnesium. Sugar can skew the bodys mineral balance, thereby setting the stage for osteoporosis and an increased fracture risk caused by minor strains. Children and youngsters are particularly prone to bone weakening and osteoporosis from an early age, which is why there is good reason to lower the threshold level for sugar intake.

The general population consumes far too much sugar. We get loads of the sweet stuff from candy, cookies, chocolate, soft beverages, fruit juice, cocoa milk, ketchup, jam, cereals, ready meals, pickled foods, sweet chili sauce etc. Sugar is often concealed in the food, so it pays off to read the label carefully and to make a note of the fact that sugar has many different names

Sugar is the normal term for sucrose that is made industrially from sugar beets or sugar canes.

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You Probably Already Know Many Of The Risk Factors For Osteoporosis:

Family history of osteoporosis

Being small-boned or having a low body weight

Being Caucasian or Asian

Being female

As with most health problems, diet plays a role too. Conventionally, physicians recommend getting enough dietary calcium and vitamin D throughout life and doing weight-bearing exercise. Unfortunately, recent research questions whether calcium supplements are beneficial for older women and whether theyre even safe. Still, its important to get enough calcium from dietary sources regardless of how old you are. Calcium is important for more than just bone health.

Recently, interest has turned to the role sugar plays in maintaining healthy bones.

Soft Drinks And Bone Density

One of the biggest sources of dietary sugar, especially among young people, is soft drinks. How much sugar does the average soft drink have? Hold on to your seats! A 12-ounce can of soda has around 39 grams of sugar, about half of which is fructose. Since 4 grams of sugar is about a teaspoon, a standard can of soft drink has between 9 and 10 teaspoons of sugar.

Researchers now suspect that fructose blocks the absorption of calcium from your digestive tract. As a result, it lowers your total body stores of calcium and the amount stored in your bones. You need that calcium for strong, fracture-resistant bones. So, a diet high in sugar may reduce calcium absorption and potentially lead to calcium loss from your bones.

In addition, soft drinks are high in phosphoric acid. This creates excess acidity that needs to be neutralized. One way your body neutralizes excess acid is by releasing calcium from inside bones. Thats why you hear so much about the health benefits of an alkaline diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, as opposed to an acidic one, like a diet high in animal products.

Phosphoric acid also interferes with calcium absorption as the phosphorus binds to calcium and makes it harder to absorb. Cola beverages have higher levels of phosphoric acid than clear, carbonated beverages and are the ones most strongly linked with decreased bone density.

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How Sugar Affects Your Bone Health

You may be wondering how exactly does sugar affect your bones?

Weve been led to believe that as long as we get enough calcium we will be fine.

We were told for the last 30 years that regular calcium consumption is the only maintenance we need to do for our skeleton.

But the countries that have the highest calcium and sugar consumption rates also have the highest rates of osteoporosis! Which leads to the obvious conclusion that calcium alone is not the solution and sugar may be part of the problem.

Sugar negatively affects your bones by increasing glucose levels in your cells. Because it happens faster than your cells oxygen levels increase, it leads to incomplete oxidation of the glucose. This forms acids, which as the word implies, acidifies the body.

When you become acidic, your body automatically reacts by pulling calcium from your bones, as it alone is able to buffer your acidic blood. Its an unfortunate case of borrowing from Peter to pay Paul that inevitably leaves your bones in a compromised, hollow state.

Osteoporosis Diet Danger : There’s Something About Soy

4 Worst Foods For Your Bones

While soy products such as edamame, tofu, tempeh, and soy beverages are rich in bone-building protein, they contain plant compounds that may hamper calcium absorption.

Oxalates in soy can bind up calcium and make it unavailable to the body, Massey says. Problems may arise when you eat a lot of soy but donât eat a lot of calcium, according to Kerstetter.

The research is mixed about soy. Some small studies show soy can cause problems with bone strength others show that the right type of soy protect bone strength. To avoid any risk, be sure to get a lot of calcium in your diet, primarily through dairy foods or supplements.

Soy products fortified with calcium may foster a false sense of security. When researchers compared calcium content and solubility of calcium-added beverages, they found that much of the calcium in soy and other beverages sank to the bottom of the container and could not be redistributed throughout the drink, even with shaking.

Still, fortified soy products, such as tofu processed with calcium, provide a hefty dose of bone-building nutrients and make a good addition to a balanced diet. If your diet is heavy on soy, be sure to also take in at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium every day.

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The Calcium And Osteoporosis Connection

Osteoporosis is a silent disease characterized by loss of bone mass. Due to weakened bones, fractures become commonplace, which leads to serious health risks. People with osteoporosis often dont recover after a fall and it is the second most common cause of death in women, mostly those aged 60 and older. Men are also at risk of developing osteoporosis, but typically 5 to 10 years later than women. For most people, osteoporosis is preventable, and getting enough calcium in your diet is the first place to start.

How much calcium do you need?
Age
Source: National Institutes of Health

How Much Is Too Much

There is no established limit on the consumption of soft drinks however, it is important to note the following information. Cancer cells feed on sugar and since soft drinks contain large amounts of sugar , daily and large consumption of soft drinks are often linked to different types of cancer.

According to the Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety study, another harmful preservative found in soft drinks is sodium benzoate, which causes DNA damage and potentially leads to cirrhosis of the liver. Soft drinks have also been proven to lead to diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, premature aging, and heart diseases.

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The Effect Of Fat And Sugar Diet On Bone Health Among Human Population Studies

Bone is a dynamic organ that has a complex internal structure. Regarding the physiological conditions, bone formation and resorption maintain a dynamic balance. If the number of osteoclasts increases and the number of osteoblasts are inadequate, this will lead to bone loss, and, eventually, the occurrence of osteoporosis. Globally, osteoporosis has increased rapidly. Multifaceted determinants of osteoporosis include metabolism disorders, genetic background, lifestyle, nutrition, and medication use. Evidence has demonstrated the importance of nutrient compositions in retaining BMD and defending against osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures.

Meat And Other High Protein Foods

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Its important to get enough, but not too much protein for bone health and overall health. Many older adults do not get enough protein in their diets and this may be harmful to bones. However, special high protein diets that contain multiple servings of meat and protein with each meal can also cause the body to lose calcium. You can make up for this loss by getting enough calcium for your bodys needs. For example dairy products, although high in protein, also contain calcium that is important for healthy bones.

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More Antioxidants Than Any Other Fruit

Prunes also give you a boost of a little-known bone mineral called boron. It keeps bones from losing calcium and magnesium. It also helps your body produce and use vitamin D which is crucial for bone formation.

And prunes of course have additional benefits for your colon and help keep you regular. Studies show they improve your gut microbiota and may help reduce your risk for colon cancer.

Why The Sudden Sugar Fuss

But why does sugar seem suddenly a crisis? Havent refined sugars been mass produced for generations, and our grandparents grew up on foods with it? And they didnt get osteoporosis in epidemic amounts like today?

Yes and yes but the big difference is the amount of sugar we eat today, and how that amount is only increasing every year.

It makes sense from what weve learned about the addictive nature of sugar. One of the hallmark traits of an addictive substance is that we must consume more and more just to achieve the same high from it.

We now eat in 7 hours what our ancestors in 1822 ate in 5 days. That is a 20x increase!

Its better to know the enemy at the gate and make no mistake, sugar is the enemy of bone health and active healthy longevity.

Ask yourself, are you willing to trade a sugar high for brittle bones?

If youre unable to kick the sugar, make sure to balance it with a exercise, a diet high in calcium rich foods and a calcium supplement thats proven to reverse bone loss.

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Hormone Supplements Have Serious Risks

Some doctors recommend estrogen supplements for women after menopause as a way to slow osteoporosis, although the effect is not very great over the long run, and they are rarely able to stop or reverse bone loss.

Many women find these hormones distasteful because the most commonly prescribed brand, Premarin, is made from pregnant mares’ urine, as its name suggests. What has many physicians worried is the fact that estrogens increase the risk of breast cancer. The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found that women taking estrogens have 30 to 80 percent more breast cancer, compared to other women.6

Moreover, Premarin may aggravate heart problems. In a study of 2,763 postmenopausal women with coronary disease followed for an average of four years, there were as many heart attacks and related deaths in women treated with the combined regimen of estrogens and a progesterone derivative, as with placebo, but the coronary problems occurred sooner in women taking hormones. Hormone-treated women were also more likely to develop dangerous blood clots and gallbladder disease.7 Controlling calcium losses is a much safer strategy.

Obesity And Bone Health

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Obesity and osteoporosis have become global health problems, resulting in worldwide high mortality and morbidity risk. The traditional viewpoint was that obesity was advantageous to bone health due to the positive action of mechanical load, caused by body weight, on bone formation, and that it helped to protect against osteoporosis . Recent studies, however, have shown that obesity imposes a negative effect on bone metabolism, leading to osteoporosis .

Adipose tissue is usually considered as a passive energy reservoir in fact, adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ that secretes cytokines, named adipokines, such as leptin and adiponectin. Greco et al. have pointed out that adipose tissue, which can modulate skeletal metabolism, might depend on adipokines to regulate bone remodeling via their action on either bone formation or resorption. Moreover, adipose tissue also secretes proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha , which might promote osteoclast differentiation, resulting in enhanced bone resorption . The abovementioned molecules differentially modulate bone metabolism, which leads to the complex relationship between adipose tissue and bone . The mechanisms underlying these events are not clear and require further study.

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