Scientists have identified specific biomarkers in the bloodstream that are linked to bone loss. These cellular indicators could be the basis of new tools for diagnosing and treating osteoporosis.
This breakthrough could significantly impact the future of bone health and its treatment.
In this article, we'll break down these scientists' findings, what they mean for the study of bone formation and loss, and how they illustrate the Medical Establishment's failure to think holistically about our bodies and bones.
Cellular Signatures Track Bone Mineral Density
The primary diagnostic tool for osteoporosis is the DXA scan, which stands for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. It is a specialized form of X-ray technology designed to measure bone mineral density (BMD).
There are several issues with DXA scans:
- They are expensive and require special equipment.
- Variations in DXA scan models and operator techniques can lead to inconsistent results..
- They don't provide much information about bone health, quality, or strength — just density.
This new study discovered a way to measure likely bone loss using a simple blood test.
Osteoclasts are the cells that resorb bone. They are created from a variety of osteoclast precursor cells. The key discovery was identifying osteoclast precursor cells that circulate in the bloodstream. These cells, called circulating osteoclast precursor cells (cOCPs), had been identified in animals, but not in humans.1
The study included 44 post-menopausal women, 26 of whom had untreated osteoporosis. The researchers used blood tests to measure the quantity of cOCPs in participants' blood.
They study revealed that women with osteoporosis had significantly higher levels of cOCPs compared to those with normal bone density. The researchers suggest that blood tests similar to those in their study could diagnose osteoporosis by measuring cOCP levels. This approach would be less costly and easier than DXA scans and may identify bone loss earlier.1
Synopsis
Rebuild Your Bones Naturally—Without Drugs or Side Effects
Stronger, healthier bones are possible—at any age. The Osteoporosis Reversal Program gives you a step-by-step, science-backed plan to naturally rebuild bone health, improve mobility, and regain confidence—100% risk-free with a 1-year, no-questions-asked guarantee.
Researchers identified a cell called circulating osteoclast precursor cells (cOPCs). They found that women with osteoporosis had significantly higher levels of cOPCs than those with normal bone density. They suggest that a blood test for cOPCs could test for osteoporosis and would be more effective, cheaper, and easier than x-ray-based DXA scans.
Implications Of Circulating Osteoclastogenic Cells
The ability to test for these cOCPs could help more women to learn that their bone remodeling process has fallen out of balance. This could allow for earlier interventions.
The nature of the intervention will still be up for debate, with Big Pharma attempting to cash in on more and earlier diagnoses by pushing more and earlier prescriptions of their drugs.
However, early detection could allow women to change their diet and lifestyle to preserve their bones before bone loss becomes severe– preventing fractures and improving their health.
The researchers also suggest that cOCPs could be targets for intervention. In fact, they theorize that denosumab (Prolia), an osteoporosis drug currently on the market, targets cOCPs.
The study found that postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who were taking denosumab had lower levels of cOCPs than women with osteoporosis who were not taking the drug.1
This observation ties in with one of the most vexing and frightening dangers of denosumab: discontinuation overshoot.
When you stop taking denosumab your body quickly loses a large amount of bone mass, increasing the risk of vertebral fracture.2
Researchers in one study reported that “Our findings indicate an increase in osteoclast precursors, which could explain the overshoot phenomenon observed after discontinuing denosumab.”2
These researchers theorize that denosumab prevents osteoclast precursors from forming into osteoclasts. As a result, the precursor cells accumulate. And when formation is no longer blocked, the accumulated precursors cause a deluge of new osteoclasts.
The researchers who discovered the cOCPs– which they observed to decrease during denosumab use– did not measure the effect of ending treatment with denosumab on cOCP levels.
Synopsis
Earlier osteoporosis detection with a blood test allows earlier intervention. While pharmaceutical companies may promote earlier use of osteoporosis drugs, earlier detection also opens the door for women to explore drug-free strategies for building stronger bones. Some new drugs may target oOCPs, and denosumab (Prolia) may already be targeting them. This may help explain the side effect of denosumab wherein stopping the drug results in a rapid loss of bone mass and increased risk of vertebral fracture.
Reductionism Obscured The Bigger Picture
These findings give just the faintest hint at how complex and interconnected our body systems are. Different types of osteoclast precursors in different places in the body respond differently to the osteoporosis drug denosumab (Prolia). The impacts ripple out far beyond the intended goal of reducing bone loss. Denosumab can have unintended consequences, potentially worsening the problem it initially mitigated when discontinued.
That's what can happen when you try to flatten a complex system using reductionism.
Instead of considering how all of the many components interact, and recognizing how hard those interactions are to predict, the Medical Establishment gets stuck in a kind of tunnel vision.
Their approach typically involves targeting a specific cell or compound in the body with pharmaceutical interventions. But the complete ramifications of that assault are rarely known — or if they are known, are rarely disclosed– until a great deal of damage has already been done.
A holistic approach understands this danger and endeavors to use the natural pathways that our bodies already respond to– diet, exercise, lifestyle, sleep, clean air and water, avoiding toxic chemicals, and more.
You need to take care of the whole if you want the individual parts to be well– that's the foundation of holism and the Save Institute's approach to bone health.
Synopsis
Our bodies are composed of complex interconnected systems. The Medical Establishment adopts a reductionist perspective, relying on pharmaceutical solutions that treat isolated problems rather than addressing the body’s interconnected systems. Instead, you can improve the health of individual parts of a system by tending to the health of the whole system. This is holism, and it's how the Save Institute prevents and reverses osteoporosis.
What This Means To You
New tools for diagnosing bone loss may use newly discovered circulating osteoclast precursor cells. New drugs may target those same cells. However, an earlier and more accurate diagnosis is an opportunity to maximize a holistic approach to preventing and reversing osteoporosis.
The Osteoporosis Reversal Program describes that approach in simple, accurate detail.
The ORP is based on hundreds of scientific studies and uses the most up-to-date knowledge about bone health to chart a drug-free path to building and maintaining strong, durable bones. Critically, it considers the whole body and whole health in the fight against osteoporosis.
A holistic approach ensures that you don't destroy one part of your health in pursuit of another. To lead the life you deserve, you need strong bones and good overall health. With an all-natural holistic approach, you can have both.
References
1 https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/178977
2 https://academic.oup.com/jbmr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jbmr/zjae170/7825410
I have osteoporosis,&77 yrs old), am in the gym 35 yrs now, low weights & cardio, & dont eat junk, am health conscious since the late 70’s. Cannot eat alot of greens, have IBS with too much colon. I do not take any of the osteo drugs. Just had a DEXA, came out -3.6. I know dr will try once again to talk me into drugs, but I wont give in. What do u suggest in the way of vitamin, glucosamine chondrition, or another one? I keep on moving, not your typical senior. Appreciate your advice.
You need to see a naturopath to look into your diet, overall health and wellbeing, your digestion and absorption of nutrients and help you clear your IBS and heal your gut and provide you with a diet plan. Too many of us have gut issues, mild or severe IBS and think it’s normal, it is not. Been there myself. Find a licensed and registered naturopath who has treated osteoporosis. Write down everything you consume (food, fluids, meds, supplements) for three days and take that with you to your appointment. A physiotherapist will show you how to do appropriate exercises and keep you safe regarding balance and so forth. xxJanine
Thank you, Ita.
You’re very welcome, Ita!
When reading these articles it helps me to feel better about not taking osteoporosis drugs. I take levothyroxine for my hypothyroidism and that is hard on my bones as well after years of taking it. Anyone I talk to is taking an osteoporosis drug and it constantly makes me feel I’m doing the wrong thing so when I read these articles it makes me feel more secure in my choice of not taking anything in drug form but continue to go walking every chance I get with music playing which is therapy for me. Hope I’m doing the right thing !
You are doing the right thing, Connie 🙂