OSTEOPOROSIS IS A METABOLIC DISORDER
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Yup, I said it, and we all know which organ is essentially connected to our metabolism: the thyroid.
🧪Let’s do a bit of chemistry here:
The physical chemical properties of bone is that it is a shell-buffer of carbon dioxide which is able to bind to large amounts of gas into it. When carbon dioxide increases in our bloodstream, it is FIRST absorbed into our bones, and if levels are kept high, the rate of absorption eventually slows- but in experiments, weeks after, we see bones STILL absorbing CO2, and the absorption curve is asymptomatic. When we compare this to people moving up or down high latitudes, their bones appear to continue to adapt to different gas pressures for years. A reduction of atmospheric pressure helps reduce the calcium loss caused by lack of exercise and promotes the healing of damaged bones.
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The mineral in newly formed bone is calcium carbonate, and eventually shifts to calcium phosphate. Besides the mineral part of the bone, CO2 is also incorporated into a protein (that is ushered with vitamin K2) called osteocalcin. Osteocalcin is bonded to a collagen molecule which makes up about 30% of bone mass, and several percent of the bone consists of other organic molecules, including osteocalcin, and the rest is mineral.
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This is the kicker, see how CO2 is so bloody important for bone? Well, we need adequate T3 to form CO2, and this is done by an enzyme called cytochrome oxidase which uses COPPER as a co-factor (THIS IS IMPORTANT! Check out this post HERE all about Iron overload)
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Interestingly enough, many factors that link to osteoporosis directly affect the thyroid like adrenaline, stress, aging, estrogen dominance, diets high in polyunsaturated fats, iron overload and elevated serotonin levels, all inhibit thyroid and oxidative metabolism. See the pattern? Too many oxidized PUFAs, elevated production of serotonin, iron toxicity and high stress can causes estrogen accumulation in the tissues or act similarly, which can directly suppress progesterone, thus affecting out thyroid.