Brittle bone disease, or Osteoporosis which means "porous bones," causes bones to become weak and brittle — so brittle that even mild stresses like bending over, lifting a vacuum cleaner or coughing can cause a fracture. In most cases, bones weaken when you have low levels of calcium, phosphorus and other minerals in your bones. Osteoporosis can also accompany endocrine disorders or result from excessive use of drugs such as corticosteroids.

In the United States, osteoporosis causes more than 1.5 million fractures every year — most of them in the spine, hip or wrist. And although it's often thought of as a women's disease, osteoporosis affects many men as well. About 8 million American women and 2 million American men have osteoporosis, and nearly 18 million more Americans may have low bone density. Even children aren't immune.

It's never too late — or too early — to do something about osteoporosis. Everyone can take steps to keep bones strong and healthy throughout life. What most don't know is that there is growing evidence that essential fatty acids are super bone protectors. In some cases of osteoporosis the body's stored calcium gets deposited in other tissues and organs, besides the bones, causing kidney disease and, most commonly, arteriosclerosis (or coronary artery disease). Essential fatty acids have the ability to correct this tendency of the aging body to store calcium in all the wrong places.

Interest in essential fatty acids and osteoporosis stems from research at the Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, South Africa showing essential fatty acid-deficient animals develop severe osteoporosis coupled with increased deposits of calcium in the kidneys and arteries, thereby indicating that the body's metabolism of this vital mineral is impaired.

The researchers noted, "EFA's have now been shown to increase calcium absorption from the gut, in part by enhancing the effects of vitamin D, to reduce urinary excretion of calcium, to increase calcium deposition in bone and improve bone strength and to enhance the synthesis of bone collagen."

In an experimental study, published in 1999, a gamma-linolenic/ eicosapentaenoic acid combination increased calcium levels in female rats whose ovaries were removed, compared to rats receiving only placebo. However, when the essential fatty acid combination was added to supplemental estrogen, this enhanced the effect of estrogen on bone calcium. Thus, it is reasonable to speculate that essential fatty acids may make estrogen drugs, used by women for maintaining bone mass, even more effective.

In another experimental study, supplementation with essential fatty acids was shown to prevent experimentally induced calcification of the kidneys (nephrocalcinosis). The protective effect was enhanced with the addition of the antioxidant lipoic acid.

Evidence

Based on such experimental studies, researchers set up a study to test the interactions between calcium and eicosapentaenoic acid and gamma-linolenic acid in humans. Sixty-five women (with an average age of 79.5 years), taking a background diet low in calcium, were randomly assigned to ingest an eicosapentaenoic acid/gamma-linolenic acid combination or coconut oil placebo capsules; in addition, all of the women received 600 mg per day calcium carbonate.

Markers of bone formation and degradation and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured at the start of the study and at six, twelve, and eighteen months. Twenty-one patients continued on the essential fatty acid regimen for a second period of 18 months, after which BMD (at 36 months) was measured.

At eighteen months, levels of marker chemicals such as osteocalcin and deoxypyridinoline fell significantly in both groups, indicating a decrease in bone turnover, whereas bone specific alkaline phosphatase rose, indicating beneficial effects of the calcium that was given to all the patients.

In contrast, bone mineral density as measured in the spine and thigh bone areas showed different effects in the two groups. Over the first 18 months, spine density remained the same in the treatment group, but decreased 3.2 percent in the placebo group. Thigh bone density increased 1.3 percent in the treatment group, but decreased 2.1 percent in the placebo group.

During the second period of 18 months with all patients now on active treatment, spine density increased 3.1 percent in patients who remained on active treatment, and 2.3 percent in patients who switched from placebo to active treatment; meanwhile, thigh bone mineral density showed an increase of 4.7 percent among persons switched to the active treatment.

"This controlled study suggests that GLA and EPA have beneficial effects on bone in this group of elderly patients, and that they are safe to administer for prolonged periods of time," say the researchers.

Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) Effects

• Increase calcium absorption in part by increasing the effectiveness of Vitamin D
• Reduce excretion of calcium
• Increase the amount of calcium deposited in bones
• Improve bone strength

The Doctors Prescription
This is good news, indeed, for women concerned about their skeletal health. Supplementing your diet with MegaOmega™ Organic Sprouted Flax may improve absorption of calcium and enhance calcium content in the bone, and improve the blood levels of calcium and help to correct a deficient calcium effect in the bone.

We recommend MegaOmega™ Organic Sprouted Flax as a source of omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally you should reduce your intake of sunflower, safflower and corn oils as much as possible. These oils interfere with the body's ability to synthesize eicosapentaenoic acid from alpha-linolenic acid.