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TanyaRD · 11-02-2010, 06:39 AM

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]

11-02-2010, 06:39 AM	#9
TanyaRD Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 358	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]