Bone diseases are among the most typical health issues of the elderly. As you get older, your body gradually loses its flexibility and strength a point that even the slightest movements become painful. But thanks to the advancement of science, skeletal deterioration can be slowed with the help of therapy and medication like CBD oil.

The Need for Building Healthy Bones

Weakening bones is a primary reason why you experience a host of health problems as you age. Aside from allowing you to move, your skeletal system is also significant in giving shape and support to your body. Just like any body part, your bones are living tissues that replenish itself throughout your life. Their regeneration is very evident during your childhood and teenage years.

During your youth, your body can produce new bones faster than it sheds away old bones. However, after the age 20, this process starts to reverse. Now, your body loses bone cells more quickly than making them. This is the best time to increase your intake of the necessary nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D to help maintain a healthy skeletal system. You also need to embrace an active and healthy lifestyle to prevent the acceleration of bone loss.

Failure to maintain your bone health could lead you to experience occasional pain in various parts of your body. As your bones start to lose its sturdiness, it provides lesser support to your muscles. As such, you can feel episodes of chronic back pain, swollen joints, or muscle cramps that become more frequent as the years pass. The searing and debilitating illness at some sections of your body could be a sign that you have acquired a bone disease, some of which can be life-threatening, especially in seniors.

Common Bone Diseases in the Elderly

While issues in the skeletal system can take place at any stage of life, most of them manifest as you reach senior years. Below are some of the most common for people in their advanced age.

• Osteoporosis

This bone disease is the most common among seniors. Osteoporosis takes place when the bones become thinner as their density reduces. Patients of this disease may also see their bones lose their quality. This ailment is also often called a “silent disease” because it usually remains undetected until a bone of an elderly gets fractured.

• Paget’s Disease

As the second most common bone disease of seniors, Paget’s Disease affects the body differently. Patients of this disease initially experience a massive amount of bone removal. It would soon be followed by more excessive bone formation, resulting in the production of larger bones. These new bones could either be soft or deformed, which can lead to pain and fractures. Doctors may recommend surgery for some patients with severe cases.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis

These two conditions cause severe pain among the elderly. Osteoarthritis takes place when the cartilage, a tissue found at the ends of the bones that connects the joints wears down and restricts the movement of bones. On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the joints get swollen. Like in osteoarthritis, this condition can be excruciating. Health researchers estimate that most seniors over the age of 75 suffer from osteoarthritis in at least one joint.

Risk Factors

Bone deterioration is part of aging. However, some seniors are more prone to bone disease because of genetics, gender, and lifestyle.

• Genetics

Bone diseases usually run in the blood. People who have a family history of any bone diseases should start preparing for the onset of the disease in the future.

• Gender

Females are at higher risk of osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. Women have a higher chance to suffer from osteoporosis because of having a lighter and thinner bone structure. The onset of menopause also leads to a reduction in bone density. During this life stage, the body produces lesser estrogen, the female hormone responsible for the formation of the bones.

Among the bone diseases, it is only in Paget’s disease where men are at higher risk.

• Lifestyle

Having an unhealthy lifestyle is usually a contributor to the onset of these diseases. Just like muscles, you can take care of your bones by maintaining a healthy, nutrition-rich diet, exercise, and regular visit to doctors. Tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs can also cause the bones to decline faster. Habitual smokers and alcohol drinkers are at higher risk of suffering a bone disease as they grow old.

CBD Benefits to the Bones

The legalization of medical cannabis in most US states is a blessing for seniors suffering various diseases, including those in their skeletal system. Marijuana contains compounds that have been proven to promote and restore bone health. One of them is cannabidiol.

• CBD Helps Heal Bone Fractures

In a highly publicized Tel Aviv University study, researchers found that CBD extracted from cannabis was able to boost bone fractures in laboratory rats. Researchers say that the cannabinoid (a compound from cannabis) trigger endocannabinoid receptors found in different parts of the body of humans and many animals, including rodents.

Researchers discovered that CBD accelerates bone healing by fortifying the cartilage “bridge” that forms when a bone is mending after an injury or damage. This bridge is made of collagen, which gradually mineralizes and hardens to produce a new bone.

This collagen tissue was stronger in rats treated with CBD. Moreover, the collagen molecules more tightly joined with one another, compared to rats not treated with the cannabis substance. Researchers conclude that the healed bone in CBD-treated rats is prone to break in the future in comparison to the healed bone in rats that did not receive CBD. The treated bone under this treatment method also has a greater strength (between 35% and 50%).

• Treats Chronic Pain

Pain from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis could be too severe for seniors. Many doctors prescribe CBD as an alternative to many pain medications like opioids. Aside from treating osteoarthritis pain, cannabidiol could also heal joint neuropathy. Researchers found that cannabidiol can do both because the compound reduced joint inflammation. The compound has also been found to protect the nerves.

• Non-Psychoactive

Cannabidiol is considered safe for consumption by many doctors and health organizations, including WHO. Unlike THC, another compound from marijuana, CBD doesn’t have psychoactive (mind-altering) properties, meaning taking this substance does not make you intoxicated even at high doses. Compared to prescription pain medications, CBD doesn’t also have harmful side effects.

CBD Products for Seniors

One of the benefits of treating bone diseases using cannabidiol is consumed in various ways. You can buy CBD oil capsules, topicals, tinctures, and edibles online or in cannabis dispensaries. This flexibility of consumption allows you to apply this substance directly on the area where it is needed the most. If you’re suffering from osteoporosis and Paget’s disease, you can get your recommended daily dose of CBD by taking oil, tincture, or capsule. You can also consume CBD edibles if you don’t like the taste of the compound.

If you suffer pain from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, you can apply CBD topicals (like ointment, lotion, or balm) on the affected area. You can also get your dose by inhaling CBD vape oil.

Tips for a Healthier Bone

While many seniors would eventually suffer at least one of the bone diseases, you can work on slowing its progress by having a healthy lifestyle. But keep in mind to consult your doctor before starting to carry out the activities that you’ll find below.

• Exercise outdoors

Keeping your body fit and active is a great way to strengthen your bones even during your senior years. Even a regular brisk walk outdoors could be enough. This mild workout is enough to keep your bones healthy while getting Vitamin D, an essential nutrient for bone growth and healing, from the sun.

• Take supplements

Osteoporosis and other bone diseases can be prevented by regular intake of supplements such as calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D. For patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, taking herbal supplements like Omega 3, willow bark extract, collagen, and CBD capsules can help. These substances don’t only prevent the onset of these diseases; they can also provide relief to the excruciating pain.

• Quit Smoking

Tobacco contains nicotine, a chemical that can bring severe impact on the bones. For one, smoking lowers the blood supply to the bones. The nicotine also slows the production of bone-producing cells, known as osteoblasts. It also decreases the body’s absorption of calcium, which is vital to bone health and crucial cellular functions. Smoking also affects the balance of hormones, including estrogen, which is significant in building and maintaining a sturdy skeleton in women and men. Quit smoking now.

• Limit Alcohol Intake

Excessive alcohol intake can also adversely impact the bones. Like nicotine from cigarettes, alcohol can disrupt the calcium balance in the body. This drug can also lower the production of hormones like testosterone and estrogen, which are responsible for bone growth.

Having healthy bones is crucial to enjoying your life as you reach your retirement age. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle and taking CBD supplements, you can keep a healthy skeletal system to retain your mobility and activity in your senior years.

Medical Disclaimer:

The information provided in these blog posts is intended for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The use of any information provided in these blog posts is solely at your own risk. The authors and the website do not recommend or endorse any specific products, treatments, or procedures mentioned. Reliance on any information in these blog posts is solely at your own discretion.