There’s been a lot in the media lately about the shockingly high amounts of sugar we are consuming on a daily basis with the average Australian consuming around 40 teaspoons of sugar a day.  Even a so called ‘healthy’ breakfast of muesli, yoghurt, fruit and orange juice can start our day with about 14 teaspoons of sugar.

Too much sugar has a negative impact on all body systems including our bones and joints.  Did you know that sugar robs your bones of key nutrients?  Sugar is so acidifying that it causes your body to take calcium from your bones and excrete it through your urine.  We are all aware that Calcium is the ‘go to’ mineral for strengthening bones so healthy levels are important. However, all the calcium in the world will be of no use to our bones if we don’t have sufficient Vitamin D and good digestive health to give us the ability to absorb it.

Sugar also causes a marked increase in Magnesium excretion from the body.  Magnesium is one of the primary minerals found in the bone matrix and is vital for bone strength and firmness. When the body is deprived of magnesium it will tap into the bones’ magnesium stores. In fact, about one-third of the body’s skeletal magnesium is exchangeable, or available for use in case of deficiency.  Magnesium is also essential for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and plays a role in stimulating the thyroid’s production of calcitonin which acts as a bone-preserving hormone.

Of course excessive levels of sugar in the blood can lead to Type 2 Diabetes and while it’s not fully understood it has been proven that Type 2 Diabetes increases the risk of bone fractures by 70%. Diabetes affects both the nerves and circulation which can result in joint pain and disorders developing in a number of areas of the body including osteoarthritis and frozen shoulder.