How to Prevent Osteoporosis

Raena Morgan: Dr. Verbruggen, talk to us about osteoporosis. What exactly is it? Dr. Marian Verbruggen: Osteoporosis is actually a disease that arises from extensive bone loss, another word for extensive bone loss. Well this bone loss can obviously result in an increased risk for fractures. So, that's why it's a real and serious disease that you want to prevent getting. Raena Morgan: It's more prevalent among women, correct? Dr. Marian Verbruggen: Yes, it is, yes exactly. That's because, well during the young ages, I mean during young adulthood you develop your bones until you're about 30 years, 40 years, and you start declining the bone again and the re-absorption of the bone outweighs the build up of the bone. And in women, particularly after menopause, this decrease goes much faster than in men. And of course, this bone formation is also related to the hormone status so it's more controlled by the female hormones. But, we get into menopause these female hormones drop, so we lose that protection, more or less, by our natural hormones, and that's why it causes this steeper decrease in bone loss. Raena Morgan: What about men, they also experience osteoporosis, don't they? Dr. Marian Verbruggen: Yes, yes they do. They follow the same pattern during the early stages of life so they build up also until they're about 30 years old, 40 years old then they also start to slowly break down the bone and that decreases slowly, so in the end of the lifespan. Raena Morgan: Frutarom has a product called Osteo-Life. Could you tell us about that? Dr. Marian Verbruggen: Yes, Osteo-Life is a combination; it's actually a formulation product of SoyLife together with calcium and vitamin D. And, this product is formulated in a way, as it is studied in the OPUS Study. The OPUS Study was targeted to look at how isoflavones could prevent bone loss in postmenopausal women. And, in the study it was combined with the calcium and a vitamin D treatment to prevent deficiencies of calcium and vitamin D to be sure that they're not measuring any deficiency problem. This combination has been studied very intensely now and found very beneficial and without any adverse effects and that's why we introduced this combination, this formulation now, as a new product we called Osteo-Life. Raena Morgan: So, Osteo-Life is a combination of vitamin D, calcium and --? Dr. Marian Verbruggen: SoyLife. Raena Morgan: And SoyLife extract. Dr. Marian Verbruggen: Yes. Raena Morgan: How does it compare to medications for osteoporosis that are on the market they're rather toxic? Dr. Marian Verbruggen: Medication can have adverse effects. Of course, they are also more potent, really treatment directed and oriented. The Osteo-Life is a food supplement, so it helps prevent. It is effective; it is beneficial, that's what we have shown in the studies. It's backed up by science. But still it's a food supplement; it's not a medication. Raena Morgan: It's natural. Dr. Marian Verbruggen: It's natural, yeah. Without any shown side effects, exactly, yes. Raena Morgan: Well, thank you Dr. Verbruggen. Dr. Marian Verbruggen: You're welcome.