Bad Mood Today… Broken Bones Tomorrow?

By VRP Staff

There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t let your depression go untreated. And yet, 20 million Americans continue to battle this condition every day… many of whom will ignore the problem because they simply don’t realize how serious it can be.

If you happen to be one of these people, it’s time to reconsider your approach—and current research linking depression to the most common degenerative disease in the developed world is sure to be enough to change your mind.

Doctors have long examined the possibility of a link between osteoporosis—characterized by low bone mass and an increased risk of fractures—and depression. And as it turns out, depressed patients have bone mass density (BMD) approximately 15 percent lower than their peers, with community-based studies linking the condition to lowered hip BMD in a variety of populations.^1-5

Scientists have since pinpointed several potential reasons for this dangerous connection. For example, one study showed that chronic stress increased depressive symptoms in mice—and decreased bone mass and formation—while treatment with an antidepressant was able to reverse both conditions.⁶

Further studies suggest that hormone abnormalities (ranging from low testosterone, growth hormone, and leptin levels to increased cortisol and adrenocorticotrophic hormone) might also play a role.^7-10 These imbalances are strongly linked with both major depression and low BMD—and if ongoing research is any indication, the two conditions together could be cause for even greater concern.

It’s clear that keeping your bones healthy requires a two-pronged approach—and there are several natural solutions that will help you steer clear of both conditions —depression and bone loss—safely and effectively.

For optimal bone health, boosting your intake of both calcium and vitamin D3 is critical—adequate levels of D3 provide mood-boosting benefits as well.¹¹ Vitamin K is equally as important, being positively associated with higher BMD and fracture protection in postmenopausal women.^12-13 You can find all of these nutrients along with ipriflavone—a synthetic soy isoflavone and clinically-proven bone booster—in comprehensive formulas like Osteoflavone Complex.^14-18

Supplementing with DHEA—a naturally circulating steroid hormone—is another great option for supporting healthy bones and moods. Clinical study shows that DHEA can increase BMD in osteoporotic patients and combat depression in placebo-controlled trials.^19-25

References:

1. Schweiger U, Deuschle M, Körner A, et al. Low lumbar bone mineral density in patients with major depression. Am J Psychiatry. 1994 Nov;151(11):1691-3.

2. Michelson D, Stratakis C, Hill L, et al. Bone mineral density in women with depression. N Engl J Med. 1996 Oct 17;335(16):1176-81.

3. Jacka FN, Pasco JA, Henry MJ, et al. Depression and bone mineral density in a community sample of perimenopausal women: Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Menopause. 2005 Jan-Feb;12(1):88-91.

4. Williams LJ, Pasco JA, Jacka FN, Henry MJ, Dodd S, Berk M. Depression and bone metabolism. A review. Psychother Psychosom. 2009;78(1):16-25.

5. Wong SY, Lau EM, Lynn H, et al. Depression and bone mineral density: is there a relationship in elderly Asian men? Results from Mr. Os (Hong Kong). Osteoporos Int. 2005 Jun;16(6):610-5.

6. Head KA. Ipriflavone: an important bone-building isoflavone. Altern Med Rev. 1999 Feb;4(1):10-22.

7. Gold DT, Solimeo S. Osteoporosis and depression: a historical perspective. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2006 Dec;4(4):134-9.

8. Ilias I, Alesci S, Gold PW, Chrousos GP. Depression and osteoporosis in men: association or casual link? Hormones (Athens). 2006 Jan-Mar;5(1):9-16.

9. Kahl KG, Greggersen W, Rudolf S, et al.Bone mineral density, bone turnover, and osteoprotegerin in depressed women with and without borderline personality disorder. Psychosom Med. 2006 Sep-Oct;68(5):669-74.

10. R, Goshen I, Bajayo A, et al. Depression induces bone loss through stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2006 Nov 7;103(45):16876-81.

11. Berk M, Sanders KM, Pasco JA, et al. Vitamin D deficiency may play a role in depression. Med Hypotheses. 2007;69(6):1316-9.

12. Macdonald HM, McGuigan FE, Lanham-New SA, Fraser WD, Ralston SH, Reid DM. Vitamin K1 intake is associated with higher bone mineral density and reduced bone resorption in early postmenopausal Scottish women: no evidence of gene-nutrient interaction with apolipoprotein E polymorphisms. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 May;87(5):1513-20.

13. Cheung AM, Tile L, Lee Y, Tomlinson G, Hawker G, Scher J, Hu H, Vieth R, Thompson L, Jamal S, Josse R. Vitamin K supplementation in postmenopausal women with osteopenia (ECKO trial): a randomized controlled trial. PLoS Med. 2008 Oct 14;5(10):e196.

14. Messina M, Messina V. Soyfoods, soybean isoflavones, and bone health: a brief overview. J Ren Nutr. 2000 Apr;10(2):63-8.

15. Scheiber MD, Rebar RW. Isoflavones and postmenopausal bone health: a viable alternative to estrogen therapy? Menopause. 1999 Fall;6(3):233-41.

16. Head KA. Ipriflavone: an important bone-building isoflavone. Altern Med Rev. 1999 Feb;4(1):10-22.

17. Gennari C, Agnusdei D, Crepaldi G, et al. Effect of ipriflavone--a synthetic derivative of natural isoflavones--on bone mass loss in the early years after menopause. Menopause. 1998 Spring;5(1):9-15.

18. Gennari C, Adami S, Agnusdei D, et al. Effect of chronic treatment with ipriflavone in postmenopausal women with low bone mass. Calcif Tissue Int. 1997;61 Suppl 1:S19-22.

19. Leowattana W. DHEAS as a new diagnostic tool. Clin Chim Acta. 2004 Mar;341(1-2):1-15.

20. Villareal DT.Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone on bone mineral density: what implications for therapy? Treat Endocrinol. 2002;1(6):349-57.

21. Yanase T, Suzuki S, Goto K, Nawata H, Takayanagi. DHEA and bone metabolism. Clin Calcium. 2003 Nov;13(11):1419-24.

22. Sun Y, Mao M, Sun L, Feng Y, Yang J, Shen P. Treatment of osteoporosis in men using dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Chin Med J. 2002 Mar;115(3):402-4.

23. Wolkowitz OM, Reus VI, Keebler A, et al. Double-blind treatment of major depression with dehydroepiandrosterone.  Am J Psychiatry. 1999 Apr;156(4):646-9.

24. Barrett-Connor E, von Muhlen D, Laughlin GA, Kripke A. Endogenous levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, but not other sex hormones, are associated with depressed mood in older women: the Rancho Bernardo Study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1999 Jun;47(6):685-91.

25. Schmidt PJ, Daly RC, Bloch M, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone monotherapy in midlife-onset major and minor depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005 Feb;62(2):154-62.