Bones “are not made of calcium”; wild yam is a treatment for osteoporosis
FULL CLAIM: Bones "are not made of calcium"; don’t use calcium supplements to treat osteoporosis; high estrogen is associated with osteoporosis ; wild yam is a treatment for osteoporosis In July 2024, a snippet of a presentation by naturopath Barbara O’Neill circulated on Facebook where she advocated against using calcium supplements to treat osteoporosis. O’Neill justified her statement by claiming that bones "are not made of calcium". Instead, she recommended the use of "Anna’s wild yam cream", which would allegedly "lift the progesterone levels" and foster new bone formation. [...] O’Neill provided an inaccurate explanation of how bones are formed and maintained throughout life. Contrary to her claim, calcium is an essential component of bones. Not consuming enough calcium is one of the risk factors that can jeopardize bone formation and lead to osteoporosis. Contrary to O’Neill’s claim, adopting a diet with more calcium is one of the first steps someone can take to prevent or slow down osteoporosis. Wild yam isn’t a proven treatment for osteoporosis, and there is no evidence that it can cause an increase in progesterone.