Do you really need drugs to save your bones?

Magnesium is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in developed countries, most commonly among middle-aged and elderly folks.

Even in American, of all places, it’s estimated that up to 80 percent are not getting enough of this vital bone-building nutrient.

So should we be surprised that 8 million women — and a good number of men — in the US are taking so-called bone-strengthening drugs?

And the sad part is that the majority of women in their mid-50s, with osteopenia, only face a one percent chance of fracturing a hip in the next 10 years, but their doctors have already scared them into osteoporosis.

That’s 10 years that could be spent shoring up a magnesium deficiency! Instead too many people are living with the nasty side effects of the most commonly prescribed type of bone drug — bisphosphonates — such as:

• Mild gastrointestinal problems (heartburn, acid reflux, irritation of the esophagus, nausea and vomiting) and more serious (ulcers and bleeding)
• Severe muscle, joint or bone pain
• Esophageal cancer
• Breakdown of the jawbone
• Atypical bone fractures
• Increased rates of a serious heart rhythm abnormality

The missing link

You may already know that calcium and vitamin D are essential nutrients that keep your bones healthy and strong.

But according to researchers, magnesium is a vital part of the bone health equation.

Studies suggest that over the past 100 years people’s magnesium intake has gone from 500 mg day to 175-225 mg day, which is well below the recommended intake.

And it’s taking a hard toll…

Researchers followed 2,245 middle-aged men over a 20-year period, tracking their magnesium levels and any bone fractures they experienced. The results revealed that the men who had lower blood levels of magnesium had an increased risk of experiencing fractures, especially hip fractures.

But not just a small risk, the risk of sustaining a fracture was 44 percent higher among the men who had lower levels of magnesium in their body.

The current recommended intake for magnesium is 320 mg a day for women and 420 mg a day for men, 31 years and over. But most people fall well below this mark.

To ensure you’re getting enough magnesium in your diet, consuming magnesium-rich foods that are high in this vital mineral is essential.

Magnesium-rich foods include:

• Pumpkin seeds, 3.5 ounce = 594 mg magnesium
• All bran, 1/2 cup = 112 mg
• Brazil nuts, 1 ounce = 107 mg
• Chia seeds, 1 ounce = 95 mg
• Brown rice, 1 cup = 86 mg
• Fish, mackerel, 3 ounces = 82 mg
• Spinach, 1/2 cup = 78 mg
• Almonds, 1 ounce (23 nuts) = 77 mg
• Swiss chard, 1/2 cup = 75 mg
• Lima beans, 1/2 cup = 63 mg
• Peanuts, 1 ounce = 48 mg
• Banana, 1 whole = 32 mg
• Many other vegetables, fruits and nuts

Although consuming magnesium-rich foods is one beneficial strategy, another complicating factor is that as you age your body can’t absorb minerals as well as it used to, which means eating magnesium-rich foods may not be enough on its own.

So, you may also want to add a magnesium supplement to your daily routine. When choosing a supplement, look for the types that are more readily absorbed by the body — magnesium amino acid chelate, magnesium phosphate, magnesium glycinate, magnesium orotate, magnesium citrate and magnesium threonate.

You can also indulge in a warm Epsom salt bath to relax your muscles and increase your magnesium at the same time. Epsom salts are made of magnesium sulphate and the magnesium absorbs into your body via your skin.

Editor’s note: The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. is expected to triple by 2050. And there’s a very suspicious reason: 38.6 million Americans take a single drug every day that robs their brain of an essential nutrient required for optimal brain health. Are you one of them? Click here to find out!