Probiotics and Bone Health: Natural Pain Relief for Osteoporosis

Over 44 million Americans deal with a reduced bone density, leaving up to 13% of people over the age of 50 dealing with osteoporosis [1]. While osteoporosis may seem inevitable, there are precautions we can take to limit the development of this condition. A recent study linked dysbiosis and many pathogenic bacteria contributing to the development of osteoporosis [2]. Therefore, maintaining balance in your gut could be key for chronic pain management with osteoporosis. This realization makes the potential of probiotics as a therapy for osteoporosis a real possibility. Let's discuss the connection between gut health and osteoporosis!

What Is Osteoporosis?

Once there is a crack in the foundation of a home, it opens the door for more issues. The human body is no different. Bones serve as the foundation for a healthy human body. Unfortunately, bone mineral density depletes as we age, which causes older people to have weak or brittle bones, known as osteoporosis.

Like a snake shedding its skin, bones are living tissues that regenerate. During our formative and childbearing years, our bones are the strongest. As we age, regeneration slows down. Naturally, bone mass decreases.

As a result, people with osteoporosis are more prone to falls. They are at a much higher risk of a hip, wrist, or spinal fracture. These effects can be debilitating and even fatal.

Symptoms of osteoporosis include:

• Poor posture, increased curvature of the spine
• Chronic back pain
• Shrinking height
• Weak bones that break frequently 
• Loose teeth
• Gastrointestinal problems

If you are experiencing any of these issues, please discuss them with your practitioner or physician. The issue might be more superficial and could only require physical therapy. Others might require a more in-depth intervention. It's important that you get all the facts about treating osteoporosis so that you can make an educated decision.

What Causes Osteoporosis?

There are many reasons why a person may develop osteoporosis. Let's take a look at the most common culprits!

Low Peak Bone Mass

The number one cause of osteoporosis is a lack of peak bone mass. During our peak years, our bodies start to "bank" bone mass. It does this by constantly regenerating new, living bone tissue.

Once we reach our 30s, this process begins to slow down. Eventually, our bodies come to rely on the banked bone mass. We must "live off the land," using only what we have and making some lifestyle adjustments to accommodate the rest.

Peak bone mass depends on many factors, including genetics and race. Asian and white older women are at the highest risk of osteoporosis.

Hormonal Changes

Estrogen is a hormone that acts as a catalyst for bone production. After all, women need stronger bones to carry their children to full term.

Once a woman reaches menopause, the need for estrogen declines severely. In turn, the bone regeneration process slows down significantly.

Nutritional Deficiencies 

Bones require minerals to help create their sturdy exterior. Therefore, people who do not metabolize nutrients efficiently are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.

People with digestive conditions and autoimmune disorders that are prone to osteoporosis include:

• Celiac Disease
• Cancer
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
• Eating Disorders
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

This is where the potential of probiotics as a therapy for osteoporosis gets exciting. Ombre's Ultimate Immunity contains strains that have been useful in alleviating symptoms of food allergies, RA, and IBD in placebo-controlled and double-blind clinical studies.

Ultimate Immunity targets pathogens that can be depleting your nutrition. In turn, your bones will receive more of the necessary minerals they require. This is just one of the many reasons that Ultimate Immunity could be the best probiotic for osteoporosis for you!

While many risk factors for osteoporosis are out of our control, there are many that are lifestyle-based and can be avoided or managed differently.

Common lifestyle risk factors for osteoporosis include:

• Smoking
• Drinking alcohol excessively 
• Living a sedentary lifestyle
• Side effects of certain medications
• Poor diet

It is important that you remain active with a light exercise program and eat a sensible diet. Physical movement and a nutrient-rich diet are essential for osteoporosis management.

Gut Microbiome Testing and Osteoporosis

Everything you eat gets transformed into energy, stored in fat, or excommunicated from the body. The captains steering this digestive ship are our gut bacteria.

A healthy microbiota is teeming with a diverse array of bacteria. Each plays a unique role in maintaining balance throughout the system. Many of these beneficial bacteria are responsible for breaking down food particles and allocating energy from this food to various cells. This responsibility includes our bones.

In fact, increasing research suggests there is a complex communication system called the brain-gut-bone axis [3]. 

Unfortunately, not all bacteria have our best interests at heart. Many bacteria are opportunistic. They find deficiencies in the gut microbiome and set up shop. Once well-established, they alter the entire ecosystem.

This change in environment is stressful to the body. So, immune system cells swoop in to cause inflammation. Short-term inflammation is crucial for keeping pathogens at bay.

When the body is always under attack, the immune system never gets the memo to turn off the inflammation. Chronic inflammation destroys healthy gut bacteria, nutrients in our food, and living bone tissues.

Many people with osteoporosis may take pain relievers daily. While these short-term solutions may provide some pain relief, they are not long-term solutions. Studies show that the long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can alter the gut microbiome [4]. This can cause deficiencies within the gut that may lead to leaky gut, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or IBD.

A large cohort study found a link between osteoporosis and the following gut bacteria [5]:

• Actinobacillus
• Blautia
• Oscillospira
• Bacteroides
• Phascolarctobacterium

Furthermore, studies noted that people with an adequate level of these bacteria are less likely to develop osteoporosis:

•  Veillonellaceae other
• Collinsella
• Ruminococcaceae

Knowing your levels of these bacteria can help you manage your osteoporosis symptoms naturally. The most effective way of finding out if you have high pathogens or beneficial bacteria is with Ombre's Gut Health Test.

This at-home gut test provides you with a snapshot of your unique microbiome. You can learn which foods to avoid so that you don't feed pathogenic bacteria that could contribute to osteoporosis.

Plus, you can determine which beneficial bacteria need some work. You can discover which foods will help optimize your gut microbiome. Also, you can receive a targeted probiotic recommendation that will help address your symptoms. 

The Effects of Probiotics on Osteoporosis

Many people who have osteoporosis take calcium supplements. Calcium comes in many forms. The easiest for our bodies to absorb is calcium citrate. Enhance the absorption even more by taking a Vitamin D supplement or going outside to soak up some sun rays.

While taking calcium and Vitamin D supplements are met with good intentions, they alone might not do the trick. If you have an imbalanced gut, your body might not absorb enough of these nutrients. Enter your friends --probiotics!

Probiotics are more than just beneficial for dealing with the symptoms of osteoporosis. A targeted probiotic can also be useful in osteoporosis prevention.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral found in bones. Humans don't produce calcium naturally. We must consume foods that are rich in calcium, including leafy greens, yogurt, and oysters.

From there, we need to absorb the calcium. That's where our gut bacteria come into play.

When we feed our gut bacteria healthy food, like whole grains and veggies, they reward us. Beneficial gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids. These metabolites help make the intestinal walls less acidic for a little while. In turn, calcium absorbed in the small intestines can easily cross the blood barrier so it can strengthen our bones.

Ombre's Ultimate Immunity has been shown to boost short-chain fatty acids to strengthen the gut barrier in clinical studies. Increase your chances of absorbing calcium by eating fiber-rich foods, like broccoli and spinach.

Probiotic bacteria consume fiber found in our foods. Fiber contains carbohydrates that give your gut bacteria energy. This also prompts the bacteria to produce those short-chain fatty acids our bones love!

One of the most efficient ways to increase fiber for osteoporosis is with a prebiotic powder. Try Ombre's Rise. This all-natural fiber powder blends seamlessly with your favorite juices and smoothies.

Want to balance your gut, feed the healthy bacteria you have, and target pathogens behind osteoporosis? Consider joining the Ombre Gut Health Program.

You will receive a Gut Health Test and Ombre Rise upon ordering. Then, you will receive Ultimate Immunity or your targeted probiotic recommendation as a subscription. With the Ombre Gut Health Program, you can target pathogens and support osteoporosis prevention!

Resources

[1] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db405.htm 

[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34214160/ 

[3] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.752708/full#

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4754147/ 

[5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34214160/