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Osteoporosis is typically thought of as a woman’s disease. And that leaves millions of men underdiagnosed and undertreated.
Recent research found that 28% of men between 35 and 50 had osteopenia, a precursor to osteoporosis — compared to 26% in women of the same age.1
The findings shocked researchers.
Another study found that the lack of studies in men, and the lack of reimbursement for DEXA scans, are two barriers to proper diagnosis in men.2
To top it off, even if they do get the diagnosis right, most doctors almost always get the treatment wrong. The good news is there are natural ways of preventing and treating osteoporosis.
But the Focus is slightly different for men. More on this in a minute. First, let’s talk about why this condition is on the rise…
Not surprisingly, mainstream medicine is a big part of the problem.
That’s because dozens of popular medications have the unintended side effect of weakening your bones. Some of them weaken your bones from the inside out.
Others make your bones more breakable.
For example:
Proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec increase the risk of spinal fracture by 58%.3 Another large review fOund that PPIs increased the risk of hip fracture by up to 30%.4
Steroids like prednisone double your risk of all fractures and nearly triple your risk for spinal fractures.5 And the effects last even after you stop taking them.
A study published in Bone found that the risk of getting a fracture is 56% higher for people who use acetaminophen compared to those who don’t.6
These are just some of the many drugs that can harm your bones. But ironically, the worst of the worst are the drugs used to treat osteoporosis.
You heard that right. The very drugs being prescribed for the problem and contributing to it.
Osteoporosis drugs like Boniva and Fosamax are the worst things you can give a patient – male or female – with brittle bones. They’re supposed to increase bone density, but they make your bones weaker and more likely to break.
Osteoporosis drugs work by killing osteoclasts, the ones that clear out old bone. TechniCally, your bones will be more dense. But they’ll be filled with old bone and calcium deposits that were supposed to be discarded. That leaves no room for healthy new bone tissue. And the bone that you’re left with is fragile, brittle, and breakable. 7
Increase testosterone to stop bones from breaking
At the Sears Institute, I help patients build strong bones by increasing testosterone – naturally. You can’t have strong, dense bones without this important hormone. But your free T declines as you age, which weakens your bones and makes them more breakable. That decline comes partly from less T production bUt mainly from a rise in sex hormone binding globulin, or SHBG.
Let me explain…
Most of your testosterone — about 98% — is locked up by a protein called SHBG. As you get older, SHBG levels rise and start grabbing onto the 2% free testosterone. When it’s bound to SHBG, testosterone can’t connect with special androgen receptors the way it’s supposed to.
And SHBG doesn’t only bind to testosterone. It also locks up another hormone called estradiol. Normally, that’s a good thing because men don’t want too much of that floating around. But you do need just enough estradiol to keep your bones strong.
If you don’t address SHBG, no amount of prescription testosterone will stop your bones from breaking. In fact, a new review of seven clinical studies found that testosterone replacement therapy alone does not increase bone density. 8
1. Build bones by lowering SHBG.
Increasing testosterone naturally will help you build strong bones. But it’s even more important to lower SHBG. I recommend an all-natural herb called nettle, or Urtica dioica. Nettle contains a compound that binds with SHBG. By locking up the SHBG, nettle frees your testosterone so it can go toward bone building.
You can find nettle in tinctures and capSules. Look for a tincture that contains at least 65% nettle. With capsules, make sure you are getting at least 140 mg of the root extract, which is more concentrated with the special compound that lowers SHBG.
2. Boost bone strength with boron.
This mineral boosts your body’s absorption of calcium and helps it stick to your bones.9 Boron is also the key to the absorption of magnesium, another essential nutrient that helps your bones absorb calcium. Boron supplements can reduce your daily loss of calcium and magnesium by up to 50%. Get 3 to 6 mg a day.
3. Keep more calcium in your bones.
Study after study shows you need vitamin K2 to keep calcium in your bones (and out of your arteries). Getting enough vitamin K2 can reduce your risk of spinal fractures by 60%, all non-spinal fractures by 81%, and hip fractures by 77%.10 Good food sources of vitamin K2 include egg yolks, raw milk, natto, and organ meat. If you supplement, stick with the MK-7 form of vitamin K2. I recommend taking 45 mcg to 90 mcg of vitamin K2 per day.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
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References
- Bass MA, et al. “Bone mineral density among men and women aged 35 to 50 years.” J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2019;119(6):357-363.
- Bello MO and Garla VV. “Osteoporosis in males.” StatPearls. 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30860766/. Accessed on May 24, 2023.
- Nehra AK, et al. “Proton pump inhibitors: Review of emerging concerns.” Mayo Clin Proc. 2018;93(2):240–246.
- Poly TN, et al. “Proton pump inhibitors and risk of hip fracture: A meta-analysis of observational studies.” Osteoporos Int. 2019;30(1):103-114.
- Briot K and Roux C. “Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.” RMD Open. 2015;1(1):e000014.
- Williams LJ, et al. “Paracetamol (acetaminophen) use, fracture and bone mineral density.” Bone. 2011;48(6):1277-1281.
- Kharwadkar N, et al. “Bisphosphonates and atypical subtrochanteric fractures of the femur.” Bone Joint Res. 2017;6(3):144–153.
- Junjie W, et al. “Testosterone replacement therapy has limited effect on increasing bone mass density in older men: A meta-analysis.” Curr Pharm Des. 2019;25(1):73-84.
- Nielsen FH, et al. “Effect of dietary boron on mineral, estrogen, and testosterone metabolism in post-menopausal women.” FASEB J. 1:394-7, 1987.
- Cockayne S, et al. “Vitamin K and the prevention of fractures: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(12):1256-1261.
