This Protein Tackles Osteoporosis

The traditional medical system has no cure for osteoporosis.

That may be about to change because of a new study in Research Square that describes a protein that can improve osteoporosis.

We’re talking about a big change … 69%!

In 1997, researchers discovered an anti-aging protein in mice that they called klotho, after the ancient Greek fate who was believed to spin the thread of human life.

According to many subsequent studies, klotho deficiency in mice results in a shortened lifespan, while overexpression of klotho leads to increased lifespan and resistance to age-related diseases.

In humans, klotho has been found to reduce oxidative stress and increase insulin sensitivity, but since osteoporosis is also an age-related disease, the authors of this study decided to check whether postmenopausal women who develop this bone disorder have a klotho deficiency.

They obtained health data first collected by the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and analyzed the data of 885 postmenopausal women aged 50 years or older who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans to measure bone mineral density and blood tests to determine serum klotho levels.

In this sample, 89 women, or 11.2% of participants, had osteoporosis.

When the researchers analyzed the data, they made the following discoveries.

1. Postmenopausal women with higher klotho levels had a lower prevalence of osteoporosis, independent of any other health factor.

2. Those in the highest quartile for serum klotho had a 69% lower risk of osteoporosis than those in the lowest klotho quartile.

3. The occurrence of osteoporosis decreased by approximately 44% for every doubling of klotho.

These results show that assessing blood klotho levels could potentially serve as a convenient and accurate method for predicting the presence and development of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

What are your options to increase the amount of klotho in your body?

This is not an area that has been studied in depth, but research does offer some suggestions.

You can eat an anti-inflammatory diet, according to a 2021 study in the journal Mechanisms of Ageing and Development.

Berries, cherries, oranges, apples, leafy greens, tomatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, olive oil, and legumes all contain anti-inflammatory substances such as fiber, vitamin C, omega-3 fats, monounsaturated fats, and antioxidants.

A 2022 study in Scientific Reports showed that physical exercise of almost any type and intensity increases klotho.

Therefore, to prevent your bones from losing their density and strength, keep up your levels of the protein klotho by exercising and eating an anti-inflammatory diet.

Klotho protein is not enough to reverse osteoporosis. You need to apply a few simple lifestyle changes explained here…