Nutrition is definately an environmental influence on idiopathic scoliosis, but it's role and impact are poorly understood.

Newer research indicates selenium may be a major player in the nutritional future of scoliosis treatment and studies have identified concerns with levels of copper and zinc as well.  The conversation needs to extend well beyond minerals as well.  Vitamin K seems to have some sort of connection with scoliosis, but that is very unclear at this point.

Here are 2 pdf's of studies that focused on nutrition and scoliosis.  More,  much more, work needs to be done in this field.

Nutrition_as_an_environmental_factor_in_the_etiology_of_idiopathic_scoliosis.pdf

Changes_of_selenium_copper_and_zinc_content_in_hair_and_serum_of_patients_with_idiopathic_scoliosis.pdf

Please click here to receive a FREE SCOLIOSIS TREATMENT INFORMATION KIT.

From the patent for the soon-to-be-released (hopefully) scoliosis blood test......

"The present invention also encompasses the monitoring of the biomarkers disclosed herein to assess the efficacy of numerous approaches to prevent scoliosis and curve progression such as any physical therapies (e.g. postural exercises, physiotherapies, biomechanical stimulations by manipulation or using specific devices e.g. vibrant plates); the monitoring of scoliosis brace efficacy or development of novel scoliosis braces; the monitoring of new surgical devices with or without fusion of vertebras, and the monitoring of the efficacy of specific diet, nutraceutical and/or pharmacological treatments.

Without being so limited, the first measure after the scoliosis braces have been applied could be performed 1 month later to determine for instance whether the braces are well adjusted and determine whether the patient is compliant to the treatment. Thereafter, the monitoring could be performed every three to six months depending on whether high OPN levels are detected or not. This method of the present invention may advantageously reduces the requirement for x-rays. X-rays could be performed for instance only at visits where OPN levels detected are too high.

Any amount of a pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical and/or dietary supplement compositions can be administered to a subject. The dosages will depend on many factors including the mode of administration. Typically, the amount of anti-scoliosis composition (e.g. osteopontin inhibitor or selenium compound) contained within a single dose will be an amount that effectively prevents, delays or reduces scoliosis without inducing significant toxicity "therapeutically effective amount".

[00115] In some embodiments, the therapeutically effective amount of the neutraceutical anti-scoliosis composition (e.g. selenium supplement) can be altered. Useful effective amount concentrations include amounts ranging from about 0.01% to about 10% of a total diet on a weight by weight basis, from about 1% to about 6% of a total diet on a weight by weight basis, or from about 02% to about 6% of a total diet on a weight by weight basis.

[00116] The effective amount of the osteopontin inhibitor or selenium compound may also be measured directly. The effective amount may be given daily or weekly or fractions thereof. Typically, a pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical and/or dietary supplement composition of the invention can be administered in an amount from about 0.001 mg up to about 500 mg per kg of body weight per day (e.g., 10 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg, or 250 mg). Dosages may be provided in either a single or multiple dosage regimen. For example, in some embodiments the effective amount is a dose that ranges from about 1 mg to about 25 grams of the anti-scoliose preparation per day, about 50 mg to about 10 grams of the anti-scoliose preparation per day, from about 100 mg to about 5 grams of the anti-scoliose preparation per day, about 1 gram of the anti-scoliose preparation per day, about 1 mg to about 25 grams of the anti-scoliose preparation per week, about 50 mg to about 10 grams of the anti-scoliose preparation per week, about 100 mg to about 5 grams of the anti-scoliose preparation every other day, and about 1 gram of the anti-scoliose preparation once a week.

[00117] By way of example, a pharmaceutical (e.g. containing an osteopontin inhibitor) and/or nutraceutical (e.g. containing selenium) and/or dietary supplement (e.g. containing selenium) composition of the invention can be in the form of a liquid, solution, suspension, pill, capsule, tablet, gelcap, powder, gel, ointment, cream, nebulae, mist, atomized vapor, aerosol, or phytosome. For oral administration, tablets or capsules can be prepared by conventional means with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient such as binding agents, fillers, lubricants, disintegrants, or wetting agents. The tablets can be coated by methods known in the art. Liquid preparations for oral administration can take the form of, for example, solutions, syrups, or suspension, or they can be presented as a dry product for constitution with saline or other suitable liquid vehicle before use. Dietary supplements of the invention also can contain pharmaceutically acceptable additives such as suspending agents, emulsifying agents, non-aqueous vehicles, preservatives, buffer salts, flavoring, coloring, and sweetening agents as appropriate. Preparations for oral administration also can be suitably formulated to give controlled release of the active ingredients.

Selenium concentration was reported to be significantly decreased in plasma of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients (42). Selenium and more specifically Se-methylselenocystein,

an organoselenium naturally occurring in diet, are used to prevent metastasis in breast cancer as chemopreventive therapy by targeting OPN transcription (43-45).

[00167] Plasma selenium concentration was thus measured in pediatric populations (AIS vs. healthy controls) to determine whether or not low selenium levels correlate with higher OPN concentrations in AIS. Plasma selenium concentrations were determined by a fluorometric method using 2,3-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) (46, 47). Results presented in Figures 18 and 19 show a correlation between high OPN levels and low selenium levels in scoliotic and asymptomatic at risk children."

Does it make any sense to have dietary recommendations for a structural problem? What about a neurological problem? What about if it is based on a genetic predisposition? What effect do environmental factors have on the expression of a genetic weakness.

We know that scoliosis is influenced by genetics.
We also know that genetic weaknesses are primarily potential problems that may or may not be turned on by external factors, so called epigenetic factors...

When pregnant rats were fed a fatty diet, both their daughters and granddaughters proved to be at greater risk of breast cancer. In fact, even if the daughters of the first generation of rats ate healthily, their offspring—the third generation—were still at greater risk of disease.


So..... a fatty diet may cause “epigenetic” DNA modifications that can be passed on to future generations.”


Dietary Recommendations for Scoliosis:
Foods to Eat:
a.Fresh Fruit
b.Fresh Vegetables
c.Meat (protein)
No pork or packaged luncheon meats
Avoid meat with growth hormones or antibiotics, (organic meat only)

Decrease:
a.Citrus Fruits and Juices, especially tomato juice, orange juice and other acidic juices
3.Avoid:
a.Soda (Including diet)
b.Artificial Sweeteners (eg. Nutrasweet, Splenda, Equal, Aspartame, Saccharin, Neotame, Acesulfame, Sucralose, etc.)
c.Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Crystallized Corn Syrup (latest research is saying Agave is no better than high fructose corn syrup!)
d.Soy Milk and Soy Products
e.Gelatin, calcium Caseinate, Monosodium Glutamate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), Textured Protein, Monopotassium Glutamate, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP), Yeast Extract, Glutamate, Autolyzed Plant Protein, Yeast Food or Nutrient, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Caseinate, Autolyzed Yeast)
f.Coffee
g.Tea (Herbal teas are okay)
h.Alcohol
i.Chocolate (Dark chocolate is okay)
j.Sugar (Stevia is okay)
k.White Flour
l.Salt (Sea Salt is okay)
m.Chemicals, Processed, Greasy, Fried, Junk Food (French Fries, McDonald’s, etc.)
4.Supplements
a.Inflavonoid – one per hour for pain if necessary after first few days of treatment.
b.Metagest (or Metaxyme if prefer vegetarian) digestive enzyme formula (1 after meal)
c.EPA-DHA Complex– support of neurologic function (1/day with food)
d. 200 mirco gram of Selenium per day (L-selenomethione)
e.Collagenics – nutritional support for connective tissue reconstruction and repair (3/day)
f.Probioplex – promotes “friendly” bacteria growth in the intestine
g.Iso D3 – unique antioxidant (1/day)
h.Multigenics – comprehensive vitamin/mineral formula (2/day)

In addition, to increase melatonin production I recommend sleeping in a VERY dark room (like, can't see your hand in front of your face kind of dark) instead of supplementation, which could raise levels of osteopontin and caue the curve to progress.