Vitamin D Bone Health

Breakthrough Discovery in Bone Health
Scientists* have just discovered a heretofore unknown aspect of bone health, and it indicates that aspirin may be beneficial. And, that large doses of vitamin D may be detrimental to bone health.

There are "good guys" (cells in our bodies) and "bad guys" that regulate bone health. Nothing new there, but now scientists* have discovered things that we can do that aid in the production of bone and reduce its breakdown.

"Bone is a dynamic tissue, being continuously remodeled by the coordinated actions of osteoclasts 'cells associated with the removal of bone] and of 'osteoblasts that aid in the production of bone]" they noted.

To simplify, we will call the osteoclasts the "bad guys" and the osteoblasts the "good guys."

The medical scientists showed that, a master controller, PGE2**, influences the breakdown of bones by stimulating the bad guys. And how is PGE2 kept in check? Through the use of aspirin.

Of course aspirin is a drug, and has side effects. In sensitive individuals it can cause ulcers, with possible serious effects.

Vitamin D, which in general is hugely important in regulating blood calcium levels, and in modified drug form may be helpful in certain cancer conditions, still—can be taken to excess.

They observed that vitamin D is good for the bad guys. So, we hark back to the suggested official level of 400 units a day as probably okay. We would not want to go much over that intake without physician permission.

All in all, it would seem that for optimal bone health an aspirin per day and limiting vitamin D would seem to be beneficial in maintaining bone health.

*Drs. Hoebertz, Meghji, Burnstock and Arnett, Dept. of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Cellular Microbiology Research Group and Autonomic Neuroscience Inst., University College, London WC1E 6BT, U.K., in FASEB Journal, volume 15, 2001.

**Prostaglandin E2.