The human skeletal system is constantly being remodeled. Lots of factors influence bone health, such as age, heredity, medications, smoking, alcohol, activity level, hormone status, and availability of nutrients. Bone gets weak when the body can’t rebuild it as fast as it is breaking down. We need much more than calcium to build bone. The body also needs boron, copper, manganese, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. I have my patients take a supplement that combines most of these nutrients, in addition to weight bearing exercise, balancing hormones, and getting minerals like calcium from green vegetables as much as possible.
Some of the bone building nutrients, even when consumed sufficiently, are lost in the sweat and urine. It is important that you have the right mineral transporters to deliver bone building nutrients to the tissue. For example, Magnesium in the form of Magnesium oratate is carried right to the cells. Magnesium is needed to help get the calcium into the bone cells. It is also needed for energy production and to activate an enzyme that hardens bone. The oratate carrier helps the calcium and the magnesium get into the cell. Many stores sell Magnesium oxide, which is little more than a laxative. Better delivery ensures that the minerals get where they are supposed to go–the bones.
Bone building is a complex process. Vitamin D is needed to signal the body to build bone. You also need Vitamin C to build the collagen structure of the bone. You need a complex combination of minerals to harden the bone. When choosing a supplement, look for minerals attached to good carriers like calcium oratate, calcium arginate, calcium aspartate, Calcium2 AEP, magnesium oratate, zinc oratate, and zinc aspartate.
Currently, my favorite bone building supplement in the pharmacy is called Bone Maximizer III. I have combined it with strontium and vitamin D. In my experience, this combination can significantly improve the bone density seen on a DEXA (bone scan).