Several studies show that milk sugar, or lactose, tremendously increases the absorption of calcium. Although intestinal bacteria break milk sugar into lactic acid which helps to dissolve calcium, an increased calcium absorption occurs in the presence of milk sugar even when all bacteria have been destroyed by antibiotics. Animals given calcium with milk sugar deposit some calcium in the femur, or leg bone, in 30 minutes and lay down "highly significant amounts" within two hours. If other sugars are allowed, calcium absorption is so markedly decreased that little of the mineral reaches the bones. This fact undoubtedly explains why babies given formulas containing large amounts of dextromaltose or glucose frequently have faulty bone formation which is shown by abnormal bulging foreheads. The excessive intake of sweets during childhood and adolescence causes facial bones to be underdeveloped and the jaws to remain so small that the teeth are crowded together. Similarly, eating sweets can prevent calcium from being absorbed by an adult.

Although no amount of vitamin D can compensate for the lack of calcium, this mineral is lost in the urine at any age unless vitamin D is adequate; and the losses continue even when no calcium is supplied in the diet. If sufficient calcium has been obtained and well absorbed, large amounts can still be quickly lost in the urine should vitamin B6 and/or magnesium be under supplied. Stress, such as the immobilization of a single limb or the entire body, or the taking of cortisone not compensated for by adequate nutrition, causes calcium to be withdrawn from the bones, the blood calcium to be high, large amounts of this mineral to be lost in the urine, and protein synthesis to be retarded. When the daily diet has supplied 2.5 grams of calcium, healing has been promoted, yet the amount of calcium lost in the urine has not increased.

If stress or cortisone therapy is prolonged, demineralization of bones may "develop dramatically" and spontaneous fractures occur. The loss of minerals stops as soon as stress is removed, cortisone is discontinued, and/or the diet meets the needs of stress. In such cases, following the anti-stress program becomes as important as a high intake of calcium and vitamin D.

What effect strontium-90 has on healing of bone abnormalities is not yet known, but fallout from bombs already tested is expected to continue for the next several years. This mineral is chemically so similar to calcium that it is readily deposited in the bones and teeth whenever calcium is inadequate. Analysis of thousands of deciduous teeth collected in the St. Louis area show that the deposition of strontium has been steadily increasing during the past decade. The body prefers calcium to strontium, however, and if the calcium intake is high, strontium is neither absorbed nor laid down in the bones. Although milk contains some strontium-90, its high calcium content makes this food the best safeguard against harmful deposition. Patients with osteoporosis have been found to absorb strontium particularly rapidly, but the radioactive element is gradually replaced by calcium provided the diet is adequate.

Disc problems. The effect of nutrition on discs, or cartilage pillows which, if healthy, are like rubber cushions between the vertebrae, appears to have been little studied. When patients with disc lesions were given an adequate diet supplemented with 500 to 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily, their back pains disappeared and extensive surgery was avoided. A diet particularly high in protein, especially in eggs to supply methionine, and in vitamin E is probably as essential as vitamin C before a damaged disc can be repaired.

About The Author
David Crawford is the CEO and owner of a Male Enhancement Facts company known as Male Enhancement Group which is dedicated to researching and comparing male enhancement products in order to determine which male enhancement product is safer and more effective than other products on the market. Copyright 2010 David Crawford of Natural Male Enhancement This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.