Stress and Osteoporosis – might they be linked?

19/07/2019

Osteoporosis or “thinning of the bones” is generally associated with older women who are past the menopause. It is attributed to the loss of oestrogen that occurs at this time.

In my own experience and in line with some of my training, I wonder if long term stress has as much to do with this condition as hormone imbalances? Of course, there are many causes, but for this blog, I want to concentrate on stress. Stress of any kind has a dehydrating effect on the body physiology.

This makes it more difficult for the cell wall to stay intact. To stop the molecules drifting apart, which would result in cell death, the body produces cholesterol to stick them together. This is great as an emergency measure, but if the dehydrated state continues and more of the cell wall gets strengthened in this way, it becomes more rigid. However, the cell wall needs to be flexible, for parts of it to open and close in a controlled manner to facilitate a diurnal flow of minerals and vitamins in and out of the cell. In the morning calcium and sodium chloride move into the cell, pushing out magnesium and vitamin B6. When we lie down at night, magnesium and B6 are moved into the cell pushing out the calcium and sodium back into the blood.

However, if this flow doesn’t happen as it should, too much calcium gets locked up in the cells, the levels in the blood fall, which then sets up a response to bring up reserves of calcium from the bones. If the calcium is released from the cells, the levels in the blood goes up, so the body then signals for calcium to be put back in the bones. Bone health is maintained.

To ensure calcium doesn’t get locked up in the cells in this manner, develop strategies to manage stress levels, keep hydrated and eat a healthy, rainbow diet to take in a range of vitamins and minerals.

This is a simplified outline of just one part of maintaining strong bones. In detail, it is a complicated and beautiful example of how all the metabolic pathways of the body link together to keep you healthy. 

If you would like to know more about keeping bones strong, contact Wendy on wendyguilfoyle@hotmail.com

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