If you have a lot of excess body fat, you might want to get your bones checked. The extra weight could be causing your bones to weaken.
Researchers recently conducted a small study on 93 postmenopausal women (mean age 57). They found that bone mineral density was higher in women with a lower proportion of body fat than those with more body fat.
This is an interesting finding. Fat contains an enzyme, aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen. Estrogen is commonly thought to help protect bones. But testosterone is far more of a tissue builder — just look at the bodies of men compared to women. With increased conversion of testosterone to estrogen, there could be a net loss of anabolic (tissue building) effects.
Additionally, we know that visceral fat (belly fat) is its own toxic organ. It spews out inflammatory chemicals. Increased inflammation is now recognized as a key cause of calcium loss from your bones.
Action to take: Unless you were overweight in high school, your weight at graduation is your ideal weight today. If you have osteoporosis and are heavy, please take steps both with diet and exercise to shed whatever excess you can.
And if you need help fighting inflammation, try Advanced Bionutritionals Reduloxin , which has powerful ingredients to lower inflammation without the side effects of over-the-counter drugs. Your bones and arteries will thank you for it.
Ref: Too Much Body Fat Bad for Bones? WebMD Health News, October 31st 2008.