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Inflammation causes bone loss, Alpha-Lipoic Acid may prevent this type of bone loss

Jul 12, 2005

TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) is an important chemical secreted by the immune system. Unfortunately, it also causes drastic inflammation and damage when released inappropriately. As it turns out, TNF-alpha also triggers bone loss, and plays a critical role in bone loss after menopause. TNF-alpha triggers free radical production and inflammation in the bone and causes the release of cell destroying caspases that kill bone marrow stromal cells. These stromal cells are stem cells found in bone marrow that generate bone, cartilage, fat, and fibrous connective tissue. As it turns out, adding Alpha-Lipoic Acid to human stromal cells prevented the changes caused by TNF-alpha. Pretreating the bone cells with Alpha-Lipoic Acid prevented the increase in free radicals, inflammation, the release of caspases (the bone cell executioners) and ultimately prevented the death of these bone forming cells. Alpha-Lipoic Acid may prevent or decrease bone loss caused by inflammation. The study is published in the July 2005 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research: the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Commentary by Jerry Hickey, R.Ph.

It's not all about calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D when it comes to strong bones. Magnesium, strontium, zinc, vitamin K, vitamin C, protein, and boron are also very important. Recent research shows that controlling homocysteine levels, and consuming enough omega-3 fatty acids to balance out the omega-6 fatty acids found in plant oils, and consuming vitamin E, are all important for a sound bone structure.

Coenzyme Q10 helps lower triglycerides in patients resistant to drug therapy

Patients with massively high triglycerides are often helped with fibrates and fish oil type polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). In this study patients with massively high triglycerides who didn't respond to fibrate and/or PUFA therapy were placed on various combinations for six weeks and compared to patients who responded to fibrates and/or PUFA at specialized centers for blood fat irregularity management.

Both groups were placed on each of the following for 6 weeks a piece:

  • Coenzyme Q10 150mg/day
  • fenofibrate (Tricor - a fibrate) 200mg/day
  • PUFA 3000mg/day
  • PUFA plus fenofibrate
  • PUFA plus Coenzyme Q10
  • fenofibrate plus Coenzyme Q10
  • or all 3
In the patients who responded to PUFA and/or fibrate therapy, Coenzyme Q10 helped lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and lipoprotein (a) with PUFA and/or with fibrate therapy. In the group that did not respond to drug or PUFA therapy, adding the Conezyme Q10 to Tricor significantly reduced triglycerides, total cholesterol, lipoprotein (a), uric acid and blood pressure. In the drug resistant group given PUFA plus Coenzyme Q10, only blood pressure and lipoprotein (a) decreased. In patients with massively high triglyceride levels not responding to either fibrate drug, or PUFA therapy, adding Coenzyme Q10 to Tricor (fenofibrate) could improve the drugs effectiveness significantly. The study was conducted through the Atherosclerosis Research Center, University of Bologna, and is published in the may 2005 issue of the journal Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy.