Scoliosis OsteoDefender

Common Questions About Supplements

How long do you recommend taking the listed supplements?

Our chief concern at ScoliSMART is how these products may affect the outcomes of your child’s scoliosis during growth. However, once your child reaches skeletal maturity, or for Adult patients, your provider may recommend these products on an ongoing basis to address any non-spinal symptoms or genetic variants.

Will these products have any negative side effects?

The supplements we recommend are all-natural, organic, Kosher, and non-GMO. However, parents should discuss these supplements with their pediatrician if they are taking any prescription medications.

What can be expected once supplementation starts?

Although the primary goal of these supplements is to support scoliosis therapy, many parents notice positive improvements in their children’s behavior and focus as well.

Will my insurance cover the cost of the supplements?

Although health insurances do not typically cover supplements, many FSA or HSA accounts will reimburse you for them if your treating provider writes a letter of medical necessity.

Will taking the recommended supplements alone improve scoliosis?

No. The nutritional interventions may help prevent further curve progression, as well as improve treatment outcomes. The recommendations in this report are intended to be done in conjunction with a scoliosis-specific exercise program like ScoliSMART BootCamp or the Scoliosis Activity Suit.

What if taking pills is a problem?

Many of the supplements are available in liquid and chewable forms. Also, capsules can be opened and the powdered contents can be mixed in juices or applesauce.

What can you do to balance your levels?

Get plenty of sun exposure

15 minutes of daily sun exposure causes your body to produce about 10,000 IU of vitamin D3, a key ingredient in maintaining bone density.

Maintain a daily routine of weight-bearing exercise.

This might include things like walking with hand weights, ankle weights, etc.

Experience whole-body vibration

Vibration stimulates certain hormone pathways that signal for increasing bone density. Many gyms and fitness centers have vibration platforms you can use.

Avoid cow’s milk

Although logically it makes sense to drink milk for the calcium, cow’s milk is a very poor source of bioavailable calcium. Dark green leafy vegetables are among the best sources.

Avoid calcium supplements

Study after study has shown calcium supplements do not improve bone density and fail to stop ongoing bone density loss. Furthermore, recent studies have suggested that excess calcium intake via calcium supplements can increase artery plaquing, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke or heart attack.

Related Research

1. Hu Q, Long C, Wu D, You X, Ran L, Xu J, O Klineberg E, Huang S, Chen J, Ning N. The efficacy and safety of ipriflavone in postmenopausal women with osteopenia or osteoporosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pharmacol Res. 2020 Sep;159:104860.

2. Bae YJ, Kim MH. Manganese supplementation improves the mineral density of the spine and femur and serum osteocalcin in rats. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2008 Jul;124(1):28-34.

3. Tabatabai LS, Sellmeyer DE. Nutritional Supplements and Skeletal Health. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2021 Jan 9.