Osteoporosis, osteopenia, and osteoarthritis are age-related problems becoming more pronounced as society gets older, mostly because bone mass begins to decline at approximately age 30 and continues to decline with aging.

A good diet is essential to controlling bone loss, which ideally should:

• Be rich in magnesium, calcium, phosphate, sodium, potassium, fluoride, and chloride;

• Include foods having a high content of flavonoids and statins, which promote bone formation; and

• Be high in alkaline foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, to help stabilize blood pH levels and keep the body from robbing minerals from bone.

Unfortunately, despite good diet, bone loss can occur.

Historically, the medical approach to treating bone-mass loss has been pharmacologic and has focused on inhibiting bone resorption. Unfortunately, this type of treatment does little to improve bone mass.

The good news is research is providing new insights and solutions to the problem.

Studies over the last 20 years have shown that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), a family of proteins within the transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-ß), stimulate mesenchymal stem cells to turn into bone (osteoblasts) and cartilage (chondrocytes) forming cells.

HOW BMPs WORK

BMPs work by targeting multiple pathways to influence bone mass in a positive manner. Data from in vivo studies confirm that BMPs are required to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts and are

essential to maintain bone mass.

As a bone anabolic agent, BMPs clearly play a central role in both bone and cartilage formation and repair.

Studies have shown that when BMP activity is impaired, reduced bone formation, osteopenia, and bone fragility can result.

Researchers have identified a number of different BMPs, which serve different functions:

• BMPs 2 and 7 have displayed clinical utility for bone regeneration;

• BMP 6 specifically has been shown to increase the osteoblast formation surface by 32 percent; and

• Some BMPs seem to be involved in tendon/ligament or cartilage development.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

BMPs naturally occur in the human body. But, scientists have isolated BMPs and put them into supplements that can be taken for the prevention and treatment of bone disease. These supplements help restore osteoblast formation.

You can provide BMPs to your patients in conjunction with restoring joint function through adjustments and improving muscle balance with exercise as part of an overall wellness protocol.

You can also incorporate BMP education into your wellness talks and corporate education
programs.  

Cristy Wallace, DC, CCN, DACBN, FIAMA, is a functional-medicine consultant who specializes in teaching healthcare professionals how to use functional medicine in practice. She is certified in nutrition, acupuncture, and naturopathic medicine, and founded her chiropractic practice in 1997. She can be reached at 817-988-3131 or by e-mail at dr.wallace@sbcglobal.net.