LifeSpa’s Bone Support™ is a well-researched, standardized extract from one of the world’s safest premium sources of bone—free-range New Zealand cattle. Bone Support™ contains microcrystalline hydroxyapatite concentrate (MCHC), a complex crystalline compound containing calcium, phosphorus, bioactive growth factors, type I collagen, amino acids, glycosaminoglycans, and a broad range of essential trace elements that naturally comprise healthy bone.*
Suggested Use: Take 1-2 capsules up to two times daily or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
Consult your healthcare practitioner prior to use. Individuals taking medication should discuss potential interactions with their healthcare practitioner. Do not use if tamper seal is damaged.
Bottle Contains: 120 vegetarian capsules
Ingredients: Calcium (as MCHC), Phosphorous (as MCHC), MCHC, Microcrystalline hydroxyapatite (as MCHC)
Other Ingredients: HPMC (vegetable capsule), vegetable stearic acid, medium-chain triglycerides, microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable magnesium stearate, and silica.
Does Not Contain: Wheat, gluten, corn, yeast, soy, dairy products, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or artificial preservatives.
The Science
More than 20 years of scientific research have given the name Bone Support™ worldwide recognition as a source of microcrystalline hydroxyapatite concentrate (MCHC). Numerous published studies support the safety, tolerability, and bone health-related effectiveness of MCHC supplementation.[1,2] Studies suggest that the bioavailability of calcium from MCHC supplements may be as good as or better than the bioavailability of calcium from calcium gluconate supplements.[3,4] LifeSpa utilizes standardized, safe, bovine-sourced MCHC from New Zealand, a country with stringent standards. Its production features a proprietary technique that preserves the bioactive contents of bone. This process creates a naturally balanced formula because whole bone extract provides all of the nutrients found in healthy bone.*
Unlike other calcium supplements on the market, Bone Support™ consists of collagenous and non-collagenous proteins and peptides. These compounds include insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I, IGF-II), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and osteocalcin, factors that stimulate alkaline phosphatase activity and support metabolism in human bone cells.[5] Removal of the protein fraction appears to reduce the positive effects of the formula, highlighting the importance of its presence.*[6]
A study suggested that the occurrence of positive and statistically significant changes in forearm bone integrity were the result of daily supplementation with 3000 mg of microcrystalline hydroxyapatite.[7] Earlier studies compared Bone Support™ to other forms of calcium with regard to the support of normal bone turnover and bone mineral integrity. In one 20-month, double-blind study, women were given 1400 mg of elemental calcium (equivalent to approximately 5000 mg MCHC) as either calcium carbonate or Bone Support™. At the end of the study, the presence of bone integrity was statistically significant in the Bone Support™ group.*[8]
Clinical trials suggested that Bone Support™ supplementation was well-tolerated and yielded a positive outcome for dental status, bone integrity, and healthy bone metabolism.[9,10] A randomized, controlled study indicated that the addition of Bone Support™ to exogenously administered hormones provided statistically significant support (4.7%, P<0.1) to vertebral bone mass.[10] Another study of 60 subjects suggested that bone mass was maintained while on Bone Support™.*[11]
Bone Support™ is high-quality MCHC from New Zealand. The World Organization for Animal Health (the OIE) has classified New Zealand as a “negligible BSE risk country,” the most favorable official classification a country can be given.[12] Bone Support™ is manufactured under proprietary processes that meet FDA, USDA, and EU regulatory requirements. Gentle processing is used to retain the delicate protein matrix and organic factors. X-ray-diffraction analysis confirms the microcrystalline structure. The MCHC is assayed for hydroxyproline content. The collagen content is greater than 22% with the majority being type I, the predominant collagen occurring in bone. Frequent heavy metal assays assure purity.
Bone Support™ delivers 1100 mg of MCHC per capsule.*
General Disclaimer:
Keep tightly closed in a cool, dry place out of reach of children
References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6373153
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2997764
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3026039
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6287835
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1653384
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3022988
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17358094
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7703621
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2176437
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10202741
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10442322
12. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Status of Members. OIE-World Organization for Animal Health Web site. http://www.oie.int/animal-health-in-the-world/official-disease-status/bse/list-of-bse-risk-status/. Accessed May 9, 2014.
