Osteoporosis

[Diana58]

I am hypothyroid and I have hypertension I take medications for both apparently my thyroid medication has now caused me to have osteoporosis I was wondering if anyone can recommend a natural way to rebuild my bone density sincerely Diana

[Diana58]

Also I am in the USA

[Hibs1]

I have osteoporosis and would suggest you join a natural remedies osteoporosis group as they have done research on the subject.

[Diana58 in reply to Hibs1]

Thank you!

[humanbean]

It isn't your thyroid medication which causes osteoporosis. It is your hypothyroid condition itself which almost certainly has the most effect on your bones. If you weren't medicated at all your risk of osteoporosis would be much, much higher.

Being hypothyroid reduces levels of stomach acid. Doctors often make this worse by prescribing drugs to reduce stomach acid even further. Low stomach acid leads to people having lower levels of nutrients because food is digested very poorly.

Another effect of hypothyroidism is that the active thyroid hormone (T3) is often in short supply because getting adequately medicated is difficult. Many doctors think all they need to supply is T4.

Every single cell in the body needs T3 to function at peak efficiency, but doctors often refuse to accept that T3 is important. Instead they concentrate on TSH which isn't even produced by the thyroid, it is produced by the pituitary.

To a much lesser extent doctors look at T4 which is produced by the thyroid and which must be converted to T3 before the body can make use of it. Low nutrient levels reduce conversion from T4 to T3.

Levothyroxine (which includes Synthroid) is artificial, lab-produced T4. Doctors in the UK will almost never prescribe T3, even if people are poor converters. I'm not sure of the attitude of doctors in the USA to prescribing T3 - it seems to be much more variable in the US compared to the UK.

Has your doctor told you that you have to reduce your medication because of the osteoporosis? If they have they will probably make your situation worse. But without full thyroid function testing and asking for copies of the results and reference ranges you'll never know.

[mandyjane]

I think the idea that thyroid hormones supplementation causes osteoporoisis has been disproved. Walking helps strengthen bones and running as well but I dont know how fit your are. A walk a day and take some vitamin D with vitamin K2 supplement. I think being undertreated more likely to cause bone problems as people undertreated are very tired often, so dont move much and bones get weaker and often because our thyroid care has been so poor for so long lack of exercise lasts years.

[Miffie]

I am now 68 and been on thyroid hormone replacement for nearly 60 of those years. I have only just been diagnosed with osteopenia, the forerunner to osteoporosis. Living proof the replacement hormones don’t cause it. You should ensure your calcium and ViD levels are kept optimal.

[Hidden]

Yes, hypothyroidism decreases vitamin D, and also magnesium. I take 4,000iu of D3 with K2(7) and magnesium, (essential on doses above 1,000iu I believe), and am, after nearly 2 years, finally got almost to the Vitamin D Council's recommended level of 100-150. Hopefully after another test in about 6 months, I will be able to cut down a bit, maybe to 2,000 or so.

I recently read about research that suggests taking calcium supplements, (especially combined with Vit D such as in Adcal, instead of improving levels with diet, can worsen osteoporosis.

[vocalEK in reply to Hidden]

Too many doctors automatically prescribe calcium without bothering to check blood levels. If your levels are low, or below range, of course some supplementation is indicated. But if levels are adequate, supplemental calcium can do a lot of harm.

[Hidden in reply to vocalEK]

My last calcium check was nearly 2 years ago, and rather higher than the one before that. I really need another this year just to be sure it's not too high. But they still prescribed me Adcal (a piddling 800iu per day) because my vit D was only 39

[vocalEK in reply to Hidden]

I take a combination capsule containing 5,000 IU of Vitamin D3 plus 90 mcg of Vitamin K2, MK7. "Vitamin D3 ensures that calcium is absorbed easily and K2 (MK-7) activates the protein, osteocalcin, which integrates calcium into bone. Without D3 and K2, calcium cannot do its job effectively. Vitamin K2 (MK-7) activates matrix GLA protein (MGP) to bind excess calcium and promote arterial flow and flexibility."

It's quite likely you get all the calcium you need from your diet, even if you do not drink milk. My calcium is 5.1 (4.8 - 5.6 mg/dL). I eat cheese pretty often, but I don't drink milk.

[Diana58 in reply to Hidden]

Yes I see what you all are saying!

It’s the vitamins and diet/exercise!

[Hidden in reply to Diana58]

And most important of all, without which no amount of diet or exercise will make much difference, the right amount of thyroid hormone supplementing