Dr David McGrath

Spine Physician

MB BS (Hons) FAFOM, RACP, FAFMM
Master of Pain Medicine

Healthy Bones

Bones and teeth, need a similar healthy nutritional environment as other tissues, but there are some characteristics, which are worthy of focus.

Bones and teeth create these tissues:
1. Dentin
2. Enamal
3. Pulp
4. Cortical bone
5. Trabecular Bone

Nutritional Requirements
1. Protein (bone proteins)
2. Calcium (bone mineralisation)
2. Magnesium (bone mineralisation)
3 Phosphate (bone mineralisation )
4. Vitamin A (to generate bone builiding proteins )
5. Vitamin D (to absorb calcium and magnesium and generate bone building proteins)
6. Vitamin E (to stop oxidation and prevent bone loss or remodelling)
7. Vitamin K2 (to activate ptoteins generated by Vitamin A,D )
8. B12 (shown to be imporant in bone growth/remodelling)
9. Iodine (needed for healthy T3,T4 hormones )
10. Zinc (needed for efficiency of proteins and transcrption capacity of gene expression))
11. Copper (anti-oxidant (SOD)and other functions)
12. Selenium (selenium anti-oxidant proteins)
13. Boron (needed for activation of 25(OH)D3 to active form 1,25(OH)D3 )
14. Flouride (some uptake strengthens bones)
15. Chromium (insulin responsiveness)

Hormone Requirements
1. Estrogen
2. Para-thyroid
3. Calcitonin
2. Growth Hormones (IGF-1, IGF-2 )
3. Insulin
4. Thyroid T3,T4
5. ? Cortisol
6. ?Adrenaline

The cells
1. Osteoblasts
2. Osteocytes
3. Osteoclasts

(to be continued)