Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

I'm reading a book right now about keeping the body in alkaline-acid balance to prevent osteoporosis. The author believes that when we eat acidic foods such as animal proteins and processed foods, our bodies neutralize or alkalize the acidic effects by taking calcium from our bones.

So to promote strong bones, she advises a diet that is 80 percent alkaline and 20 percent acidic.

Has anyone here had success improving their bone density through this type of diet, versus through taking bisphosphonates? If the RD on this board has an opinion, would appreciate hearing that as well.

Thanks so much!

Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

Interesting Idelle- thanks for posting.

Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

R. B., these are both very, very interesting studies, thank you so much for sharing them with me.

Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

Karen Wheel was big on the Alkaline and acid balance in relation to cancer treatment. She has read a lot of books on the subject.

Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

Thanks, Jackie, I'll send Karen Wheel a message about this as I would love to get her take.

Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

Found the abstract of a paper on the subject:


Proc Nutr Soc. 2010 Feb;69(1):166-73. Epub 2009 Dec 3.
Postgraduate Symposium: Positive influence of nutritional alkalinity on bone health.

Wynn E, Krieg MA, Lanham-New SA, Burckhardt P.
University Hospital (CHUV), 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland. emma.wynn@rdls.nestle.com
Abstract

There is growing evidence that consumption of a Western diet is a risk factor for osteoporosis through excess acid supply, while fruits and vegetables balance the excess acidity, mostly by providing K-rich bicarbonate-rich foods. Western diets consumed by adults generate approximately 50-100 mEq acid/d; therefore, healthy adults consuming such a diet are at risk of chronic low-grade metabolic acidosis, which worsens with age as a result of declining kidney function. Bone buffers the excess acid by delivering cations and it is considered that with time an overstimulation of this process will lead to the dissolution of the bone mineral content and hence to reduced bone mass. Intakes of K, Mg and fruit and vegetables have been associated with a higher alkaline status and a subsequent beneficial effect on bone health. In healthy male volunteers an acid-forming diet increases urinary Ca excretion by 74% and urinary C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (C-telopeptide) excretion by 19% when compared with an alkali (base-forming) diet. Cross-sectional studies have shown that there is a correlation between the nutritional acid load and bone health measured by bone ultrasound or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Few studies have been undertaken in very elderly women (>75 years), whose osteoporosis risk is very pertinent. The EVAluation of Nutrients Intakes and Bone Ultra Sound Study has developed and validated (n 51) an FFQ for use in a very elderly Swiss population (mean age 80.4 (sd 2.99) years), which has shown intakes of key nutrients (energy, fat, carbohydrate, Ca, Mg, vitamin C, D and E) to be low in 401 subjects. A subsequent study to assess net endogenous acid production (NEAP) and bone ultrasound results in 256 women aged > or = 75 years has shown that lower NEAP (P=0.023) and higher K intake (P=0.033) are correlated with higher bone ultrasound results. High acid load may be an important additional risk factor that may be particularly relevant in very elderly patients with an already-high fracture risk. The latter study adds to knowledge by confirming a positive link between dietary alkalinity and bone health indices in the very elderly. In a further study to complement these findings it has also been shown in a group of thirty young women that in Ca sufficiency an acid Ca-rich water has no effect on bone resorption, while an alkaline bicarbonate-rich water leads to a decrease in both serum parathyroid hormone and serum C-telopeptide. Further investigations need to be undertaken to study whether these positive effects on bone loss are maintained over long-term treatment. Mineral-water consumption could be an easy and inexpensive way of helping to prevent osteoporosis and could be of major interest for long-term prevention of bone loss.

PMID: 19954569 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

Just received this notice:

Teleconference on Bone Health


Register now for our free teleconference, Bone Health: What You Need to Know, on Monday, November 8, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Learn more.
Our speaker, Julie R. Gralow, MD, from the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, will help you understand:

• Why some breast cancer treatments impact the health and strength of your bones
• How to monitor your bone health and what therapies are available to you
• Medical treatments and lifestyle changes that help you keep your bones strong

You may also be interested in our Guide to Understanding Bone Health.
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Register now for our annual fall conference, News You Can Use: Breast Cancer Updates for Living Well, on Saturday, November 13, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Learn more.
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You’ll also have opportunities to visit with exhibitors, ask questions of healthcare providers with expertise in breast cancer and connect with women and families affected by breast cancer.
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Ask the Expert about Nutrition
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If you are undergoing breast cancer treatment, nutrition may not be the first thing on your mind. But following a smart diet strategy may reduce your risk of recurrence—and make you feel better. A balanced diet can also help maintain strength, improve immune function and promote healing.
If you have questions about how nutrition can help you improve your overall health and quality of life, ask Living Beyond Breast Cancer expert Kathryn A. Allen, MA, RD. We will begin posting Ms. Allen’s answers to select questions on an ongoing basis throughout the month.
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Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

Bone health is critical after a breast cancer diagnosis. I find the hypothesis of low pH/alkaline diet and bone health to be very interesting. Generally speaking, I have not been impressed by the alkaline diet results in the realm of cancer, especially when promoted and used as sole treatment. The current evidence on the use of alkaline diet in oncology is not convincing and I didn't find much on bone health. I did find 2 opposing articles on PubMed which I thought were interesting. I don't believe the alkaline diet would bring any harm when used for bone health but I would caution that it may eliminate some of the healthy foods we know to have benefit. However, it would also eliminate others that are not beneficial. It is important to note that it is urine pH that is being tested, not blood pH. It is very difficult to change to body's actual pH (blood).

The key elements for bone health that are proven and should be applied no matter which diet you choose to follow are:
1. Maintain a healthy weight
2. Include calcium rich food sources in diet-most women also need a calcium supplement with Vit D 3
3. Have Vitamin D level checked and supplement accordingly
4. Weight bearing exercises-walking is great

Low urine pH and acid excretion do not predict bone fractures or the loss of bone mineral density: a prospective cohort study.
Fenton TR, Eliasziw M, Tough SC, Lyon AW, Brown JP, Hanley DA.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2010 May 10;11:88.PMID: 20459740 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Postgraduate Symposium: Positive influence of nutritional alkalinity on bone health.
Wynn E, Krieg MA, Lanham-New SA, Burckhardt P.
Proc Nutr Soc. 2010 Feb;69(1):166-73. Epub 2009 Dec 3.PMID: 19954569 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

http://www.congrex.ch/isnao2009/pdf/ISNAO09_FP.pdf

[The file starts with a beautiful picture. Abstracts of the presentation start on page 27. The symposium covered the topics of Vitamin D and the Alkaline/acid effect on the bones - issues we've been discussing here on the Board.]

Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

Jackie,
This is great. I've had a moment to go through just a few poster abstracts. Thanks for posting. I look forward to reviewing further.

Tanya

Re: Bone Loss and Alkaline Diet
 

Jackie and TanyaRD, this is fabulous information and I'm going to save much of it on my desktop to read more thoroughly. Thanks so much!