Latest News
Oh, Deer: New Information On Extending Bone, Joint Life
A British study has found that people who take bisphonates following joint replacement surgery are less likely to need a second operation.
The drugs, which are commonly given to patients with osteoporosis, help prevent fractures. The results are preliminary and there are many variables to consider, including age, gender and overall health, but the researchers say that the drugs may help because they suppress inflammation around the implant. When inflammation occurs, the joint often becomes loose and must be repaired or replaced.
In other news, a study of deer antlers has led researchers to believe that the loss of manganese keeps calcium from sticking to bones, and thus might hasten the onset of osteoporosis.
Scientists studied broken antlers, and found that the deer’s diet was low in manganese due to a cold winter. Since deer grow antlers by transferring one-fifth of their skeleton’s calcium towards the antlers, it was found that it was the manganese depletion, and not a lack of calcium, that caused the problem.
In addition to osteoporosis, manganese or a lack thereof has also been tied to the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as dementia. So whether or not you’re looking to grow antlers, get some manganese into your diet by upping your intake of nuts and seeds, whole grains, beans and even pineapples. It’s also readily available in supplement form.