Abstract
Osteoporosis is a major epidemic in the United States, responsible for at least 1–2 million fractures per year. Current management of bone loss consists primarily of estrogen therapy and calcium supplements. This approach is helpful in many cases, but its success is limited. This review presents a new concept: that bone health depends not just on estrogen and calcium, but on a wide range of other nutrients, including vitamins B6, C, D, K, folic acid, magnesium, manganese, boron, zinc, copper, strontium and silicon. The typical Western diet, with its high content of sugar and refined foods, appears to be deficient in many of these vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, the requirement for certain nutrients may be increased by genetic factors or by metabolic changes that occur at the time of menopause. Failure to meet one or more of these nutritional needs could result in accelerated osteoporosis. On the other hand, supplementation with a balanced combination of appropriate micronutrients may prove to be a useful adjunct to calcium and estrogen therapy.