Chinese Herbs Protect Cancer Patients at Risk for Bone Loss
Written by Dr. Nalini Chilkov
Cancer Patients Are At High Risk For Bone Loss. Chinese Herbs have been used historically and studied in modern times as a source of bone nourishing plant substances that can support healthy bones in patients at risk for loss of bone mass and debilitating painful fractures.
Here are some Traditional Chinese Herbs that have a long history of use for promoting normal healthy bone:
What is Bone Loss? Losing bone means that your nice sturdy skeleton starts to dissolve. It becomes so fragile that it can no longer hold you up. The bone becomes like lace lacking in minerals and essential proteins and can easily crumble and break. This loss of bone mass is known as Osteoporosis (literally porous bones), a condition in which the bone becomes fragile and prone to fractures especially in the hips, spine and feet.
Many cancers will travel from the orignal site, such as the breast and invade the bone. This is called bone metastasis. Keeping your bones healthy and dense may make your skeleton more resistant to tumor cell invasion.
Common Traditional Chinese Herbs Used to Promote Healthy Bone:
Restore the Right Formula (You Gui Tang) containing Rehmannia (Shu Di Huang)
Epimedium (Yin Yang Huo) Leaf
Psoralea (Bu Gu Zhi) seed
Tumeric (Curcuma Longa, Yu Jin) Modern research has also demonstrated that Curcumin from Tumeric affects the RANK ligand in bone. This is also associated with lower rates of bone loss as well as lower rates of bone metastasis.
Traditional Nourishing Stews Made from Vegetables and Tonic Herbs are a staple for recovery: Here is a Recipe: Chinese Restorative Blood Nourishing Stew
Common Causes of Bone Loss for Cancer Patients and Cancer Survivors
Women are more prone to bone loss due to the effects of lower levels of estrogen associated with normal menopause as well as menopause caused by removal of the ovaries or chemotherapy and hormone treatments associated with cancer treatments. Bone loss due to treatment related menopause and the resulting loss of estrogen support for healthy bone. Many drugs actually block the effects of estrogen. Many women have their ovaries (the source of estrogen) surgically removed or permanently damaged by chemotherapy or radiation, leading to a decline in estrogen levels that are essential to strong and healthy bones.
High levels of stress hormones which cause minerals to leave the bones
Sedentary periods with less exercise during convalescence and recovery which also cause minerals to leave the bones. The actual work of holding up your skeleton and your muscles pulling on bones keeps your bones strong.
Physical Pain from surgeries, tumors, scars, nerve and muscle damage from chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiation side effects.
Fatigue may be related to cancer treatment side effects or due to insomnia and loss of sleep associated with physical and emotional discomfort or even loss of muscle mass.
Mood Changes such as anxiety and depression that are part of the cancer journey leading to lethargy and low motivation. (Getting yourself moving actually improves mood, so you may need to push yourself to give it a try with the permission of your health care provider and a buddy to keep you safe.)
Dietary and Nutritional Factors: Cancer patients often suffer digestive disruptions leading to a poor intake of essetial utrients to support bone. A poor diet that is low in plant foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds) combined with higher intake of animal protein, carbonated beverages can all contribute to bone loss. Your plate should be 50% vegetables!! Full of Color. Eat 20 gram or 4 oz of lean healthy protein at each meal. Certain nutritional deficiencies such as insufficient intake of protein, calcium, and Vitamin C as well as low levels of Vitamin D. Learn What To Eat During Chemotherapy Treatment and after Surgery.
Osteoporosis (bone loss) is also associated with thyroid disease common in many cancer patients. Get your thyroid checked.
Overuse of steroid drugs (such as prednisone and dexamethasone) which cause bone loss.
Elevated Levels of Inflammation: Cancer patients generally suffer higher levels of inflammation both due to the presence of the tumor cells themselves but also due to inflammatory side effects of many cancer treatments. Inflammation is a major cause of bone loss as is will slowly destroy the collagen framework on which minerals lie to form bone. The bone minerals end up in your blood and are excreted in your urine instead of staying in the bone.
Men, Cancer and Bone Loss Men who are cancer patients and cancer survivors are subject the same risks of bone loss as women. These men usually suffer from prostate, testicular and breast cancers. Yes..men get breast cancer too! While women are commonly screened for bone density and bone loss, men do not get the same essential screenings and must insist on thorough and complete care by asking for routine bone density monitoring through bone scans, blood and urine testing looking for evidence of loss of bone mass.
Stay Safe. Practice Prevention. Identify bone loss before fracture occurs! Take Action to Keep Your Bones Strong.
References:
Rehmannia sp. or hybrid 101107-0279 (Photo credit: Tony Rodd)
Effect of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch extracts on bone metabolism. Oh KO, Kim SW, Kim JY, Ko SY, Kim HM, Baek JH, Ryoo HM, Kim JK. Clin Chim Acta. 2003 Aug;334(1-2):185-95.
Rehmannia glutinosa polysaccharide induces maturation of murine bone marrow derived Dendritic cells (BMDCs). Zhang Z, Meng Y, Guo Y, He X, Liu Q, Wang X, Shan F. Int J Biol Macromol. 2013 Mar;54:136-43. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2012.12.005. Epub 2012 Dec 12 PMID: 23246902
Traditional Chinese medicine speeds-up humerus fracture healing: two case reports. Hsueh TP, Chiu HE. Complement Ther Med. 2012 Dec;20(6):431-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2012.08.002. Epub 2012 Sep 7. PMID: 23131374
The beneficial effect of Icaritin on osteoporotic bone is dependent on the treatment initiation timing in adult ovariectomized rats. Peng S, Zhang G, Zhang BT, Guo B, He Y, Bakker AJ, Pan X, Zhen W, Hung L, Qin L, Leung WN. Bone. 2013 Feb 26. doi:pii: S8756-3282(13)00083-5. 10.1016/j.bone.2013.02.012. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23486180
Effects of anhydroicaritin and 2?-hydroxy-3?-en-anhydroicaritin on the proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. Li Y, Zhang X, Peng H, Li R, Deng X. Nat Prod Commun. 2012 Nov;7(11):1461-4. PMID: 23285807
Epimedium-derived flavonoids modulate the balance between osteogenic differentiation and adipogenic differentiation in bone marrow stromal cells of ovariectomized rats via Wnt/fl-catenin signal pathway activation. Xu YX, Wu CL, Wu Y, Tong PJ, Jin HT, Yu NZ, Xiao LW. Chin J Integr Med. 2012 Dec;18(12):909-17. doi: 10.1007/s11655-012-1294-2. Epub 2012 Dec 13. PMID: 23238999
Comparative effects of er-xian decoction, epimedium herbs, and icariin with estrogen on bone and reproductive tissue in ovariectomized rats. Xue L, Wang Y, Jiang Y, Han T, Nie Y, Zhao L, Zhang Q, Qin L. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:241416. doi: 10.1155/2012/241416. Epub 2012 Nov 7.PMID: 23227099
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) inhibits inflammatory nuclear factor (NF)-?B and NF-?B-regulated gene products and induces death receptors leading to suppressed proliferation, induced chemosensitization, and suppressed osteoclastogenesis. Kim JH, Gupta SC, Park B, Yadav VR, Aggarwal BB. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2012 Mar;56(3):454-65. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201100270. Epub 2011 Dec 7.PMID: 22147524
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Dr. Nalini Chilkov, L.Ac., O.M.D. is a leading edge authority in the field of Integrative Cancer Care, Cancer Prevention and Immune Enhancement. She is the Founder of IntegrativeCancerAnswers.com where she offers online programs and resources that empower and transform. Dr. Chilkov brings over 30 years of clinical experience combining the best of Modern Functional Medicine with the ancient wisdom of Traditional Oriental and Natural Healing. She is a highly respected expert in her field, a frequent speaker at conferences, educational institutions and a trusted resource to the media.
