As winter sets in, the days are shorter, leading to a deficiency in vitamin D, which is essential for calcium to be properly absorbed and utilized by the body. Coupled with reduced physical activity, osteoporosis and even fractures can silently creep up, becoming an unavoidable threat. Moreover, in recent years, osteoporosis has risen to be the seventh most common and frequently occurring disease. Over 50% of postmenopausal women and over 20% of elderly men suffer from it. Therefore, no one can afford to ignore it. So, what exactly should one "supplement" for bone health? Does the old saying "eating bones to strengthen bones" really work? There's a great deal of science behind it.
To know what to supplement, one must first understand what bones are lacking. From a Western medicine perspective, osteoporosis is caused by the loss of calcium. Therefore, "bone supplementation" involves replenishing calcium, as well as substances that promote its absorption, such as vitamin D, vitamin C, and estrogen. However, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the situation is much more complex. Bone health is often closely linked to the health of various internal organs. The ancient TCM classic, the "Huangdi Neijing" (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), written over 2,000 years ago, stated: "When kidney qi becomes heated, the waist and spine cannot be lifted, the bones become withered and the marrow diminishes, leading to bone flaccidity." The "withered bones" mentioned here are largely similar to the clinical symptoms of modern osteoporosis, such as lower back pain, loss of height, a stooped posture, and fractures. Therefore, TCM posits that the root cause of osteoporosis is a deficiency of kidney essence. The kidneys are said to "govern the bones and produce marrow." A deficiency in kidney essence means they cannot nourish the bones, leading to them becoming fragile and weak. This means that bone health is intrinsically linked to the "kidneys," and thus, "bone supplementation" must begin with nourishing the kidneys.
Furthermore, a deficiency in the spleen can affect the gastrointestinal absorption of nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, trace elements, proteins, and amino acids. Qi stagnation and blood stasis are also contributing factors, as stasis obstructs the meridians, preventing qi, blood, and body fluids from nourishing the muscles and bones. This tells us that if blood circulation is poor, nutrients cannot be delivered to the bones in a timely manner. There is an old Chinese saying, "A rolling stone gathers no moss," which also applies to bone health. Therefore, nourishing the blood and strengthening the spleen are also prerequisites for "bone supplementation."
Consequently, managing osteoporosis should focus on "supplementing what is deficient." For yang-tonifying herbs, the focus is on the kidneys; for blood-tonifying herbs, the focus is on nourishing the blood and spleen; and for qi-tonifying herbs, the focus is on strengthening the spleen and boosting qi. This leads to the current principles for using Chinese medicine to prevent and treat osteoporosis: First, the basic formula consists of herbs that nourish the kidneys, strengthen the spleen, and boost qi. Commonly used herbs include Rehmannia root (Shu Di Huang), Angelica sinensis (Dang Gui), Astragalus root (Huang Qi), goji berry (Gou Qi Zi), deer antler glue (Lu Jiao Jiao), tortoise shell (Gui Ban), Codonopsis root (Dang Shen), white peony root (Bai Shao), dodder seed (Tu Si Zi), Chinese yam (Shan Yao), Eucommia bark (Du Zhong), and ligustrum fruit (Nv Zhen Zi). Second, the formula is often supplemented with herbs that invigorate blood and dispel stasis. These are the most commonly used herbs besides those that tonify deficiency. Commonly used herbs include Achyranthes root (Niu Xi), red sage root (Dan Shen), ligusticum root (Chuan Xiong), corydalis root (Yan Hu Suo), peach kernel (Tao Ren), pangolin scales (Chuan Shan Jia), and millettia vine (Ji Xue Teng).
In addition, one should pay close attention to poor lifestyle habits that can affect the efficacy of bone supplementation. For example, avoid excessive consumption of stimulants like tea and coffee; limit alcohol consumption in winter to avoid lowering the body's resistance; do not eat foods high in oxalic acid (such as spinach, amaranth, and lettuce) together with high-calcium foods like fish soup or bone soup, as oxalic acid and calcium can combine to form calcium oxalate, which inhibits calcium absorption; and eating less greasy and fried food can also ensure the effectiveness of the supplements.