Vitamin C May Protect Bones from

Osteoporosis, Recent Studies Suggest

Researchers have discovered evidence

that points to vitamin C potentially

protecting bones from osteoporosis,

medical studies suggest, quoting findings

from the Mount Sinai School of

Medicine. This discovery may suggest

another possible alternative treatment

for osteoporosis for

patients who doubt Fosamax's effecti

veness after three years

.

As a chronic, age-related disease that weakens the bones in

men and women alike, there have been relatively few

medications that prevents osteoporosis but virtually none that

guarantees a cure; hence, current treatment methods for this

condition most often focuses on prevention rather than curing

it.

According to the lead researcher Prof. Mone Zaidi, the potential

benefits of this therapeutic method for patients suffering with

this disease makes the effort of exploring the profound

implications of these research findings well worth it. He is a

professor of medicine specializing in endocrinology, diabetes,

structural and chemical biology and bone disease. He is also the

head director of the Mount Sinai Bone Program.

It has long been theorized that taking high doses of vitamin C

and maintaining such high levels may lead to denser bone mass

and prevent osteoporosis; whereas low levels of vitamin C has

always been known to cause brittle bones and scurvy. Vitamin C

is thought to stimulate osteoblasts to differentiate into mature

bone cells.

The research group focused on studying laboratory mice who had

ovaries that were removed, which is known to cause bone

brittleness. The mice who received ovariectomies were divided into

two sub-groups -- with one fed a steady diet of high dosage vitamin

C for over eight weeks and another without. They measured bone

mineral density of the operated mice in the lumbar spine, femur, and

tibia bones with those of the unoperated control mice.

The operated mice who received vitamin C had roughly similar bone

mineral density levels with the control mice. By contrast, the mice

with an ovariectomy that were not given vitamin C had significantly

lower bone mineral densities than both the control mice and

operated mice fed on vitamin C.

The study group acknowledges the need for further

research to find more dietary supplements that may

provide other benefits for patients. The findings of these

studies could be significant to patients on the lower end

of the economic margin who find buying medication to be

expensive and scarce.

For more information on osteoporosis and Fosamax

updates, check out the Fosamax femur fracture web

blog.

URL Reference:

news-medical.net/news/20121010/Vitamin-C-actively-

protects-against-osteoporosis.aspx