Fractures are a pain! They are painful, limit our
ability to function and really affect our quality of life in ways [[none of
us]]we don’t]] want. Osteoporosis is the main risk factor for fractures as we
age. Satterwhite Chiropractic cares for many Oxford osteoporotic patients and
sees what it does. Satterwhite Chiropractic wants to prevent as much osteoporosis as
possible! Here, Satterwhite Chiropractic links new research observations related to
osteoporosis care: the influence of vitamin B and protein on osteoporosis.
Now, osteoporosis and fracture prevention tips abound for Oxford
women (pre- and post-menopausal), men and kids. Get your kids to do the rights
things to build bone mass while they’re young. (Don’t we wish we’d heeded that
advice when we were young?) Eat well. Exercise. Prevent falls. Don’t smoke.
Take calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous, and magnesium. Eat omega 3 acid rich food
and milk/dairy products like yogurt. Limit alcohol consumption. Improve testosterone
levels with testosterone replacement in men. Watch vitamin B levels. Eat enough
but not too much protein. (1, 2, 3) Satterwhite Chiropractic notes that these last two
suggestions have been appearing more and more in the research literature and
finds them of value to share with our Oxford chiropractic families.
So, once men reach a certain age and women get past
menopause, osteoporosis demands a bit more attention to these
osteoporosis-prevention ideas, particularly when it comes to protein intake. That’s where a vitamin B deficiency – and its
relation to protein metabolism - comes into play.
First, how do you and Satterwhite Chiropractic know if you have a vitamin
B deficiency? We can check the methylmalonic acid (MMA) level. What’s that and
why? Well, MMA reacts with vitamin B12 to produce coenzyme A (CoA) which is important
for normal cell function. When vitamin B12 is lacking, MMA levels rise. If there
is a slight rise, the B12 deficiency is just starting. If it’s a larger rise… You get the picture. (4) Pretty interesting!
Next, let’s connect elevated MMA and total homocysteine (tHcy).
These two are related to an increased risk of lumbar spine osteoporosis.
(3) Homocysteine levels rise when the body doesn’t have enough vitamin B12 and
folate to metabolize protein. Elevated homocysteine leads to some unpleasant
health conditions itself like deep vein thrombosis, coronary artery disease and
stroke, too. (3) It may behoove Oxford chiropractic and other folks
to be sure their tHcy is checked. So, bottomline, protein metabolism relies in
part on the presence of adequate vitamin B which relates to the MMA level and
thus the ability to metabolize protein properly.
So how can Satterwhite Chiropractic be of help to our
Oxford osteoporosis patients? Order a MMA blood test. Order a tHcy
test. Re-order them in the future, and monitor their results. Satterwhite Chiropractic is also a willing partner to discuss nutrition
and lifestyle habits that will boost your bone health and prevent
osteoporosis-related issues. Contact Satterwhite Chiropractic today to make your
Oxford chiropractic appointment.