Recently Diagnosed or Relapsed? Stop Looking For a Miracle Cure, and Use Evidence-Based Therapies To Enhance Your Treatment and Prolong Your Remission
Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.
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Acupuncture for Myeloma Bone Health
Does acupuncture for myeloma bone health make a difference? Yes, according to the research below. But first, the challenge faced by almost all MM patients and survivors.
According to research approximately 80% of multiple myeloma patients experience a pathological fracture over the course of their disease and 90% will have bone lesions.
Enhancing bone strength or bone mineral density is a challenge we all will face for the rest of our lives.
Conventional or FDA approved bone health therapies such as bisphosphonates and xgeva are administered as part of the FDA approved standard-of-care therapy plan for all newly diagnosed MM patients. Remember that these two types of drugs come with side effects which can worsen the longer the MM patient is taking them.
The solution, in my experience, is evidence-based non-conventional therapies such as those listed below.
What nutritional supplements have been shown to enhance bone health?
Several nutritional supplements have been shown to support and enhance bone health, particularly when combined with a balanced diet and physical activity. Here are the most well-supported ones:
🦴 1. Calcium
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Function: Primary mineral in bone structure.
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Sources: Dairy, leafy greens, fortified foods, supplements.
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Recommended Intake: 1,000–1,200 mg/day for most adults.
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Note: Divide doses over the day for better absorption.
🌞 2. Vitamin D
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Function: Enhances calcium absorption and bone mineralization.
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Sources: Sunlight, fatty fish, fortified foods, supplements.
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Recommended Intake: 600–800 IU/day; sometimes higher (1,000–2,000 IU) for deficiency.
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Note: Blood levels of 25(OH)D should be monitored in high-dose users.
🧂 3. Magnesium
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Function: Important for bone structure and vitamin D metabolism.
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Sources: Nuts, seeds, whole grains, leafy greens.
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Recommended Intake: 310–420 mg/day.
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Deficiency Risk: Common in older adults and those with poor diets.
🦐 4. Vitamin K2 (particularly MK-7 form)
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Function: Helps bind calcium to bones by activating osteocalcin.
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Sources: Natto (fermented soy), some cheeses, supplements.
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Note: Works synergistically with vitamin D.
🐟 5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
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Function: Reduce inflammation that can lead to bone loss.
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Sources: Fatty fish (salmon, sardines), flaxseed, fish oil supplements.
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Research: Some studies suggest a link to increased bone density, especially in aging adults.
⚙️ 6. Collagen
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Function: Structural protein in bone matrix.
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Sources: Bone broth, collagen peptides.
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Research: Some evidence suggests it improves bone mineral density and reduces bone degradation markers.
🧪 7. Boron
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Function: Supports mineral metabolism and bone growth.
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Sources: Dried fruits, nuts, leafy vegetables.
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Note: Often included in bone health supplements.
🌱 8. Zinc
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Function: Essential for bone tissue renewal and mineralization.
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Sources: Meat, shellfish, legumes, seeds.
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Supplement Form: Zinc citrate, gluconate, or picolinate for better absorption.
⚠️ Considerations:
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Balance matters: Too much calcium or vitamin D without other nutrients like magnesium and K2 can be counterproductive.
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Personalization: Bone health supplements should be tailored based on age, sex, medical conditions, and bone density status (e.g., osteoporosis).
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Lifestyle synergy: Resistance training, weight-bearing exercise, and avoiding smoking/alcohol are equally crucial.
I am a long-term MM survivor struggling with a host of long-term side effects.
I have weekly acupuncture appointments. Bone health is one of a long and growing list of health benefits attributed to this strange TCM therapy.
Are you a MM patient with bone involvement or bone damage? Email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com with questions about managing your bone health.
Hang in there,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Efficacy and safety of acupuncture as an adjuvant therapy for osteoporosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
“Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture as an adjuvant therapy for osteoporosis (OP) through a comprehensive synthesis of recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) evidence.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang databases (2014 -2024) to identify RCTs investigating acupuncture combined with conventional therapy for OP. Study quality was appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 15.0, with subgroup analyses stratified by intervention type, population characteristics, and treatment duration.
Results: 28 RCTs (n=2,758) were included. Meta-analysis revealed acupuncture significantly enhanced bone mineral density (BMD) versus controls: total (SMD = 0.47, p = 0.03), femoral neck (MD = 0.05, p = 0.01), lumbar spine (SMD = 0.40, p < 0.001), Ward’s triangle (MD = 0.07, p = 0.02), and hip (SMD = 0.55, p < 0.001), with particularly marked improvements in the postmenopausal osteoporosis subgroup.
Acupuncture demonstrated significant improvements in treatment efficacy, biochemical markers, pain scores, and symptom assessments, while reducing adverse events. Warm needle moxibustion outperformed controls in femoral neck (MD = 0.07, p = 0.002) and hip BMD (SMD = 0.87, p < 0.001), while electroacupuncture significantly elevated serum calcium (MD = 0.18, p = 0.02).
Short-term interventions (≤ 3 months) demonstrated optimal efficacy.Acupuncture demonstrates efficacy and safety as an OP adjuvant therapy. Current evidence is limited by regional bias and methodological heterogeneity. Multicenter, large-sample RCTs are needed to standardize protocols and validate long-term therapeutic efficacy.”
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