Osteoporosis

Why it works: Supports calcium/mineral handling & bone turnover markers (indirectly): Small human studies (often in controlled “metabolic ward” settings) found that adding ~3 mg/day of boron (af...

Instructions: Common supplemental amounts found on the market:. • ODS reports boron-only or combo supplements usually supply ~0.15–6 mg elemental boron per serving. Many nutrition texts and smal...

Warnings: Upper Intake Levels (ULs):. • United States (FNB/NAM): 20 mg/day for adults (includes total intake f...

Studies: Nielsen et al. (metabolic studies in postmenopausal women):D...

Why it works: Vitamin D → Calcium absorption → Bone & muscle effects. UV-B light in sunlight makes vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D improves intestinal calcium absorption, supports bone minerali...

Instructions: Follow the UV Index rule of 3.. • When UVI ≥ 3 (common most of the year in much of Australia), you generally get enough vitamin D from brief incidental exposure (a few minutes outd...

Warnings: Skin cancer & skin/eye damage: UV is a carcinogen and causes photoaging and cataracts; use protectio...

Studies: Direct sunlight/UVB trialsHospitalised elderly women (RCT, 1...

Why it works: Bone biology: ~99% of body calcium is stored in the skeleton; adequate intake helps maintain bone remodeling and mineralization. Vitamin D is required for active intestinal calcium...

Instructions: Target daily intake (from food + supplements):. • Most adults need 1,000–1,200 mg/day elemental calcium (women ≥51 and men ≥71: 1,200 mg/day). Prefer dietary sources first; add sup...

Warnings: Kidney stones: High supplemental calcium has been linked to an increased stone risk in some analyses...

Studies: Cochrane Review (older adults): Vitamin D with calcium sligh...

Why it works: Improves calcium absorption in the gut and supports correct bone mineralization. Low vitamin D drives secondary hyperparathyroidism (↑PTH), accelerating bone loss; repleting vitami...

Instructions: Always individualize with your clinician—especially if you have kidney disease, granulomatous disease (e.g., sarcoidosis), or take interacting medicines.. 1) Daily maintenance dosi...

Warnings: Upper limit (UL): For adults, 4,000 IU/day (100 µg) is the tolerable upper intake level. Levels far...

Studies: Nursing-home RCT (NEJM 1992, “Chapuy”): 800 IU D3 + 1,200 mg...

Why it works: Anti-resorptive (osteoclast-suppressing) effects. Preclinical work shows CQ suppresses RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis (the process that forms bone-resorbing cells), improving bon...

Instructions: Phytomedicine RCT (post-menopausal osteopenia):. • Dose: 1.2 g/day or 1.6 g/day of a hexane extract of CQ stems, taken daily for 24 weeks.. • Outcomes: slowed bone turnover vs plac...

Warnings: Common side effects (usually mild): headache, GI upset/diarrhea, gas, dry mouth; insomnia has been r...

Studies: Human dataPost-menopausal osteopenia RCT (Phytomedicine, 202...

Why it works: Biologic mechanism. Vitamin K is a cofactor for γ-carboxylation of bone proteins, notably osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein (MGP). Carboxylated osteocalcin can bind calcium in the...

Instructions: 1) MK-4 (menatetrenone) — pharmacologic dosing (Japan). • Dose: 45 mg/day total, commonly 15 mg three times daily with meals (improves absorption). This is the labeled drug regimen...

Warnings: Strong interaction with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) such as warfarin, acenocoumarol, phenprocoumon:...

Studies: Fracture outcomes (the endpoint that matters most):MK-4 (45...

Why it works: Bone matrix + mineralization: Magnesium is incorporated into bone mineral and affects crystal size and quality; deficiency impairs mineralization and bone micro-architecture. Mecha...

Instructions: 1) Aim for the recommended intake (prefer food first). • RDA (adults 31+): women 320 mg/day; men 420 mg/day (from food + supplements). Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for supplem...

Warnings: Kidney disease: Avoid routine Mg supplements or use only with medical supervision—reduced renal clea...

Studies: Overall: Evidence suggests associations between lower Mg int...

Why it works: Phytoestrogen mechanism. Red clover is rich in isoflavones (formononetin, biochanin A, genistein, daidzein). These act as selective estrogen receptor modulators (especially ER-β),...

Instructions: Choose a standardized extract. Look for products standardized to total isoflavones (often 40–80 mg/day). Commercial labels (e.g., Promensil) specify 40 mg isoflavones per tablet (s...

Warnings: Hormone-sensitive cancers/conditions: Because of estrogenic activity, avoid in hormone-sensitive can...

Studies: Lambert et al., 2017—AJCN (Denmark) RCT: Postmenopausal oste...

Why it works: Possible SERM-like/central actions (not proven): Black cohosh’s active constituents and exact mechanism remain unclear; it does not reliably act like estrogen, but some researchers...

Instructions: If someone still chooses to use it adjunctively (e.g., for menopausal symptoms while they receive guideline-based osteoporosis care), typical product-standardized directions come f...

Warnings: Liver injury (rare but serious): Multiple case reports link black cohosh to hepatitis or liver failu...

Studies: Randomized clinical trial (TRACE study – humans): A 12-month...

Why it works: Silicon (silica) content. Horsetail is unusually rich in silicon, a trace element involved in collagen synthesis and bone matrix mineralization. Lab and review papers suggest silic...

Instructions: There is no universally accepted medical dosing of horsetail for osteoporosis. What exists are small or older studies and general supplement write-ups:. • 1999 Italian study in pos...

Warnings: Horsetail is not risk-free and can interact with medicines:. • Thiamine (vitamin B1) depletion: Some...

Studies: Single small clinical trial (1999): The Minerva Ortopedica e...

Why it works: Mechanism (estrogen-like/SERM-like action). The main soy isoflavones—genistein, daidzein, glycitein—bind preferentially to estrogen receptor-β, giving them weak, selective estrogen...

Instructions: Common study doses & forms. • Genistein aglycone 54 mg/day (usually as one 54-mg tablet) for 24 months, alongside calcium (≈1 g/day) and vitamin D (≈800 IU/day)—the best-known RCT...

Warnings: Not a substitute for guideline-recommended osteoporosis drugs when fracture risk is high. Major guid...

Studies: Randomized controlled trial (genistein 54 mg/day, 24 months)...

Why it works: In TCM, Zuo Gui Wan nourishes Kidney-yin/essence; biomedically, several lines of modern research explain plausible bone benefits:. • Improves bone mass in animal models of post-men...

Instructions: Important: dosing varies by brand/formulation and patient pattern—use under guidance of a registered TCM practitioner, especially if you also take anti-osteoporosis drugs.. Common...

Warnings: Pregnancy: Generally contraindicated or caution on commercial labels. Avoid use unless specifically...

Studies: Human clinical trialMulticenter, randomized, double-blind, p...

Why it works: Targets both sides of bone remodeling. In ovariectomized (post-menopause model) mice, Gushukang Granules inhibited osteoclast formation (↓NFATc1/c-Fos) and stimulated osteoblast ac...

Instructions: Dose (granules, sugar-free formulation): 10 g per dose, twice daily by mouth; dissolve in hot water and take after meals. ypk.39.net. Indication on label: “For osteoporosis in midd...

Warnings: Epimedium (icariin)–related cautions (a major herb in the formula):. • Bleeding risk / anticoagulant...

Studies: Granules (the form you asked about):Animal/mechanistic studi...

Why it works: Phytoestrogens (e.g., coumestrol) in alfalfa can act on estrogen receptors, and estrogenic activity can influence bone remodeling. Most of the positive data here come from animal m...

Instructions: Forms: leaf capsules/tablets, teas, tinctures, and (less commonly for supplements) seeds/sprouts. Because of safety issues (below), avoid seeds/sprouts as a “supplement,” and do no...

Warnings: Warfarin (and other vitamin-K–antagonist anticoagulants): major interaction. Alfalfa is high in vita...

Studies: Human trials specifically testing alfalfa for osteoporosis/B...