FYI, I have started Taurine. 2g per day, based on your posts.
This is because I keep getting bad results for bone density based on the heel ultrasound. I was sceptical at first, because I lift weights, run, eat plenty of calcium, and my Vit D levels are good. However, both heels consistently score Z of -1.5, for a couple years in a row (I’ve never done DEXA) so I figured I should try something, and taurine seems like a good answer.
Next test is January 2026, so I’m curious whether taurine will change things.
Do you have the actual numbers? Total T, free T, and ideally estrogen (usually E2).
Estrogen is incredibly important for bone density.
Also, did you ever have urine tests done during our health checks? There are a few conditions where you pee out too much calcium, which can affect bone density.
Beth I never heard of a chronometer sounds very helpful. Looked up that other supplement someone mentioned and its Horny Goat Weed, which coincidentally I just got some because it was on the half price shelf at Kroger’s and sounded interesting, wasn’t quite sure what it did so glad to find it might help bones.
I appreciate all the comments. I talked earlier in the week with the endocrinologist, and her “final” diagnosis was that caloric restriction is the root cause of my elevated SHBG and osteopenia. This is consistent with ChatGPT’s analysis, although the doctor didn’t know that it could be rapa and/or acarbose driving CR mimicking effects in my body, rather than eating too little. I will take an indefinite break from rapa and acarbose based on this.
I entered my blood marker data into a PhenoAge calculator. My result was 19.6 years lower biological age than my chronological age, which is surprisingly good. Michael Lustgarten has the best known value at 22.6 years, but mine is better than people like David Pascoe 17.1 years and Bryan Johnson 8.8 years. On the longevity world cup I would #5 with this result.
Sorry for the not so humble flex, but clearly, I have done something right with my health. Just need to adjust things now and find a better balance so that SHBG gets much lower and my bone health turns around.
Candle flower, I’ll give a second vote for “The Doctor Doug Show” on YouTube. He has many videos with excellent information on bone density. He does incorporate some product promotions and his OsteoCollective website, but he has to make money in some way. So, I don’t mind and usually ignore his commercials.
HIs approach to improving bone density involves diet, exercise, some supplements if needed and peptides/SARMS/hormones. He covers all the bases my doctor never mentioned.
I looked around after Candleflower recommended him, but even though I can tell there is a ton of good info in there, I unfortunately put too much time into a few videos that didn’t tell me much (a long video of why AlgaeCal is great, a video on the background on peptides).
Having said that, I did see one that convinced me to seriously consider a vibration plate. I know some people on here talk about them. I would only use it enough if I put it in the bathroom and stand on it while doing things like brushing my teeth etc.
Can you share which peptides and supplements he recommends (other than d,k,calcium) or point me to any good videos.
He has a lot of videos on a wide array of topics related to bone density. The ones labeled “paid promotion” I generally avoid. Or, if he is obviously promoting a specific product I’m not overly interested. But, here is an example of just one I found useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9wavucJfu0 . I usually watch one, sometimes two each morning. I suggest using ChatGPT to search for the Dr Doug Show, plus a specific topic you want to see.
If the following link works it is one of his monthly presentations via Zoom. He takes about 10 minutes up front for introductory material, then I believe about 30 minutes of useful material. Then, there are some commercials, followed by Q&A from his viewers. It’s been a while, but I believe that’s the gist of it.
That was great. My doc is against the bone drugs, but I never understood why until now. If I understood it correctly, in addition to the risk of jaw and bone fracture, the most compelling piece of info is that while you are on them, it keeps you from building bone by all the things we are doing, like resistance training.
Is this your understanding as well?
I assume not, but if there is a place to access more zooms without being a paying member, I’d love to know.
Hi Jay yes he seems like the real deal, I need to listen to him more often. He sure is for high protein, against a plant based diet, and for dairy. He said he respects Mark Hyman a lot but does not agree with him re dairy. He’s not much for the bone drugs either but will use for some situations. I have several issues that discourage weight lifting but I gotta start doing something. I haven’t had a DEXA in 4.5 years but before that I went 7 years and had one only because I broke my femur. To my surprise there was no change, which I attribute to the HRT. If I get another and it’s down I might join his paid program.
Beth if you get one stay away from the Marodyne Dr Doug says it’s useless. I think most get the Power Plate. I have superior canal dehiscence (ear hole) and the one I had gave me disabling vertigo for a couple weeks. It was just a 240 dollar one but I’m staying away from any vibration as had to have a craniotomy for the other ear in 2010 and trying to avoid another.
Another thing that convinced me to stay away is that my mother had a friend who was on Fosamax and every time she fell she broke a bone but my mother, who had pretty severe osteoporosis but never took any of those drugs, and had three or four pretty bad falls before she died at 92, never broke a bone. I had heard these drugs will show a better density on the DEXA but it’s not quality bone and can actually make it easier to break. I never know what to believe but seeing what happened with my mom vs her friend convinced me there was likely some truth to that.
I didn’t understand the issue, but I did learn here and from my doc to avoid drugs if at all possible. Fortunately I was able to get improvement on my own over this past year, according to my DEXA… so I’ll stay the course.
You know, you bring up a good point about the plates. If I invest in one, I will be certain to find one with a good return policy. My PT gets a bad reaction from them, and now I’ve heard this about you, too! I get motion sick crazy easily, so I have wondered if I could deal with them!
I suspect most of the Zoom presentations have similar data, but I don’t know. He is summarizing what he thinks is important and he follows it with a promotion about The OsteoCollective.com likely in each Zoom presentation.
You can join one of his presentations for free. At the bottom of each of his basic videos on YouTube you will find a link to join one of his Zoom presentations and another link to join the OsteoCollective.com . I am not promoting joining the OsteoCollective, but if you want to try it for 7 days free I believe that option is available. I am currently doing that with the $20/month plan where I pay by the month. So far, it’s just excessive in terms of the “hand holding” approach it takes with lots of little video courses that I find useless. However, I suppose there are people who don’t seek information on their own and need detailed support. Not me! So, I’ll probably cancel tomorrow.
Here is a link to join one of his Zoom presentations. The date you see likely does not matter. You’ll be scheduled for the next upcoming presentation. When I provided my information I gave a throw away email address and my first name only if my memory serves me correctly. Here is the link: Masterclass
A lot of the discussion here is drifting away from rapamycin and acarbose, and toward bone drugs specifically. Opinions are expressed, but there is a much richer knowledge base on bone drugs in other threads more focused on those, and therefore will be more illuminating for those who are interested in these drugs, as the topic is quite complex and not at all one sided “drug bones bad”. It might be worth exploring the subject in those dedicated threads - I’m not urging people to stop discussing these drugs here, just that there is more information in these other threads. Some of those are:
This is a complicated subject. There are plenty of studies showing big advantages of bisphosphonates in bone durability and health outcomes in appropriately chosen cohorts. A case can be made that they are even geroprotective and there are pleiotropic benefits. I am by no means defending these drugs or advocating for their use, just pointing out that it’s a very complicated matter. I myself have NO osteoporosis or osteopenia, and I am having dental implants and I’m still contemplating a 1 year course of Acontel (risedronte) - I have even purchased it from India - I might do that because I’m also thinking of taking low dose pioglitazone, and I think that might offset some possible negatives from pio. Bottom liine - you have to be very discriminating and careful before you take or not take a given medication. These are drugs with potentially serious side effects, but each of our situations is quite specific and precision medicine means tailoring treatment to your case, and not some general hot take. YMMV.
