Originally published October 31 2008
Vitamin C Shown to Preserve Bone Density in Older Men
by Richard Stossel
(NaturalNews) Vitamin C is often called "The king of the anti-oxidants" and for good reason. Vitamin C has shown to be effective in treating over forty-six separate health concerns in either a primary or supporting role. It has been shown to either diminish or totally alleviate the symptoms or conditions for which it is applied. A new study recently published has shown that vitamin C can help to preserve bone density in older men.
Vitamin C is needed to make collagen, the "glue" that strengthens many parts of the body, such as muscles and blood vessels. Vitamin C also plays important roles in wound healing and as a natural antihistamine. This vitamin also aids in the formation of liver bile and helps to fight viruses and to detoxify alcohol and other substances.
It's been known that vitamin C is necessary for normal bone development; though recently some new evidence has come to light which shows that it may be a possible player in retaining bone density�particularly for older men.
Over a four-year period, 231 men and 393 women whose average age was 75, were monitored by Katherine Tucker and a team of her colleagues at the Tufts university school of nutrition science and policy to observe any correlation between vitamin C intake and bone mineral density (BMD).
What they found is that the men with the highest levels of vitamin C intake maintained their original bone mineral density during the four-year study. The men with the lowest levels of vitamin C intake, however, did not. Their bone mineral density decreased. In women they found that vitamin C exhibited some protection against bone mineral density loss, although their findings were not "statistically significant."
Tucker further explains; "Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin and reduces oxidative stress, which has a negative effect on all cells in the body. Antioxidants are needed to protect against oxidative stress, therefore protecting against inflammation. Inflammation drives bone resorption, which is basically taking calcium away from the bones. Vitamin C, theoretically, should help slow that resorption."
Vitamin C is just one nutrient among many that are responsible for both bone growth and is needed to help prevent decrease in bone density and loss. Calcium plays a well known vital role. Recent studies have also shown that vitamin D and protein intake may also play vital roles in maintaining bone density and decreasing fracture risk.
Getting sufficient supplies of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in the diet along with natural forms of calcium such as bone meal are also critical to re-growing and maintaining bone mass and density.
Calcium intake needs to be as natural as possible as Dr. Weston Price showed in his book "Nutrition and Degeneration". When native peoples ate their traditional raw foods diet, which included the finely ground up bones of animals, their teeth and skeletal structures showed zero or near zero decay even well into old age. They had all their original teeth and many of them were totally cavity free without ever having seen a dentist. Osteoporosis was also non existent among such peoples.
Bone re-mineralization requires not only natural calcium intake but high levels of naturally derived omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Along with judicious amounts of natural enzymes present in raw foods, this combination of nutrients is critical for strong bones and teeth even into old age and for recalcification of bones to take place. If any one of these is not present in the necessary amounts then bone and teeth regeneration will be inhibited or cease altogether. This is why many people today still get osteoporosis and fractures even though they might be drinking plenty of milk (most of which is not absorbed by the body) or taking calcium supplements.
As more and more evidence shows, humans are meant to get their foods fresh right from nature, unprocessed and untampered with. The further away we get from nature the more rapidly our bodies deteriorate and the faster disease sets in. This is a simple and immutable law of nature and study after study coupled with centuries of experience continue to reaffirm this universal truth.
Vitamin C is just the latest vitamin to now be implicated as being a vital part of maintaining healthy bones and probably teeth well into old age. It's known that this vitamin helps with prevention of gingivitis and helping to maintain healthy gums and strengthen teeth. Now we've seen it may also help with maintaining bone density which could by extension also include helping to retain tooth density as well.
Here is a list of the fantastic benefits of vitamin C;
Athletic performance (for deficiency only),
Bronchitis
Bruising (for deficiency only)
Capillary fragility
Common cold/sore throat
Gingivitis (periodontal disease) (for deficiency only)
Glaucoma
High cholesterol (maintain LDL cholesterol)
Infection
Infertility (male) (for sperm agglutination)
Injuries (minor) (oral and topical, for sunburn protection)
Scurvy
Wound healing
Athletic performance (for exercise recovery)
Autism
Cataracts
Diabetes
Immune function
Influenza
Iron deficiency anemia (as an adjunct to supplemental iron)
Minor injuries
Some other known benefits include ;
Alcohol and drug abuse withdrawal support
Asthma
Atherosclerosis
Backache
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Ear infections (recurrent)
Eczema
Gallstones
Gastritis
Gout
Hay fever
Hepatitis
High blood pressure
HIV support
Hypoglycemia
Macular degeneration
Vitamin C is also critical for nerve and brain cell protection as the protective sheaths that surround these cells are almost entirely composed of vitamin C. The body pumps extra vitamin C into these parts of the body at ten times the normal rate. The brain requires another ten times that or one hundred times the normal amounts of vitamin C as the rest of the body. This is why memory and cognitive function often show significant improvement on mega doses of vitamin C. 3000-6000mg of vitamin C per day is an excellent maintenance dose to begin to enjoy the numerous benefits of this critical and fantastic vitamin.
Some good natural sources of vitamin C include; broccoli, red peppers, currants, brussel sprouts, parsley, rose hips, acerola berries, citrus fruit, and strawberries.
About the author
Richard is a network engineer and longtime practitioner of Chinese martial arts, medicine and chi-gung for over twenty six years. Having learned many Chinese health and healing arts from old world gung-fu and healing masters and practitioners, he has helped many people to overcome their health issues and achieve their fitness goals. Through diligent study and experience he has taken this knowledge even further over the years including reading scores of books on Chinese medicine, health, chi theory, science, physics, nutrition, supplements, meditation, martial arts, and many other subjects. Utilizing the web, health and fitness videos, newsletters, articles, teachings and lectures, Rich is passionate about spreading the true knowledge of health, healing, fitness and spiritual truths. I'm proud to be writing articles for NaturalNews.com You can read many articles, hear audio interviews, and learn more about the highly praised Chinese Health and Fitness video by visiting Chinese Health and Fitness.com
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