Osteoporosis Can Be Reduced With L-arginine

Osteoporosis is a worrisome condition for many women, and with good reason. In the ten years after menopause, a woman can lose as much as ten percent of her former bone mass. The thinned bones are a setup for fractures of the spine, hip, and wrist. Typical therapy is to put a woman on a prescription drug: estrogens; bisphosphonates such as Fosamax and Boniva; or estrogen receptor modulators such as Evista. The drugs do work in the short term, reducing or preventing the bone loss associated with menopause, but the end result is often lower-quality bone. In addition a woman usually needs to keep taking the drug or the effects disappear.

An interesting fact is that statin drugs used to lower cholesterol also appear to have some benefit for bones, and the bone drugs show some cholesterol- lowering effects. Research into the connection uncovered a link to nitric oxide (NO). This gas is constantly produced and eliminated throughout your body, particularly in the endothelial cells that line your arteries. One of NO’s roles is to maintain the flexibility of your arteries. Another is to regulate the production of osteoblasts, the cells that build new bone. Putting these two facts together, researchers decided to try a source of NO to see if it would affect bone health. In a small study, the NO donor of choice, nitroglycerin, was as effective as estrogen therapy in preventing post-menopausal bone loss. In fact, an earlier study had shown that nitroglycerin could reverse pre- existing bone loss in rats.

Don't just go to your physician looking for a prescription for nitro. There is another avenue to the same end and it's the amino acid L-arginine. L-arginine has the ability to generate NO. The increased level of NO helps dilate blood vessels of all sizes, improving circulation throughout the body. Taking L-arginine can prove beneficial for people dealing with high blood pressure, Raynaud’s syndrome, and impotency. The improved circulation also helps heal wounds and burns. The usual dose of L-arginine is 3–6 grams per day, taken in divided doses on an empty stomach. At this level it’s extremely safe, with the only side effect possibly being some stomach upset. If this happens to you, then take it with food.