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Osteoporosis affects more than 25
million Americans--mostly women past menopause--approximately 1.2
million bone fractures each year in the US are related to osteoporosis.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation says that one in two women and one
in eight men over 50 will have an osteoporosis related fracture in their
lifetime. Thirty-three percent of women over 65 will experience a
fracture of the spine and as many as 20% of hip fracture patients die
within 6 months from conditions caused by lack of activity such as blood
clots and pneumonia.
Throughout life bones go through a
constant state of loss and regrowth, however as people age the loss
accelerates to the point that regrowth cannot keep up and osteoporosis
may develop. Osteoporosis causes the bones to become thin and fragile,
increasing the chance of breaking with even minor injury.
As women age estrogen levels decrease
and the risk of osteoporosis increases. Women who take birth control
pills during their reproductive years may reduce their risk of
osteoporosis developing later in life, probably because of the estrogen
that many oral contraceptives contain. Estrogen replacement therapy
helps to protect women against bone loss. Dr. John Lee explains in his
book, "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Pre-menopause,"
that studies show that natural progesterone increases bone density in
some women who have already experienced bone loss.
Symptoms of bone loss include back pain
or tenderness, a loss of height, and a slight curvature or 'hump' of the
upper back.
Are You at Risk for Osteoporosis?
- During menopause the level of
estrogen produced by the ovaries greatly decreases causing the risk
of bone loss to increase significantly.
- Surgical menopause with the removal
of the ovaries accelerates the process of bone loss to a rapid level
unless estrogen replacement therapy is begun.
- An inadequate intake of calcium
throughout life increases the chance of bone loss since calcium is
one of the main components in bone.
- White women and Asian women face the
greatest risk of osteoporosis.
- An inactive lifestyle puts women at
a higher risk for developing osteoporosis.
- Women with a slender build
experience more bone loss than other women.
- A history of eating
disorders increases the risk of osteoporosis.
- Women whose family history includes
osteoporosis have a higher risk of developing this condition.
- Some medications such as diuretics,
steroids, and anticonvulsants increase the risk.
- Women who smoke or drink alcohol
experience a higher incidence of osteoporosis.
Preventing Osteoporosis
Because it is hard to replace bone that
is lost, prevention is key. Beginning a lifelong commitment to proper exercise
and healthy nutrition while you are
still young will reduce your risk of developing this condition later in
life. Remember, you are never too young to think about preventing
osteoporosis.
Exercise increases bone mass before
menopause and helps to reduce bone loss after menopause. Bone strength
increases with regular exercise--to help prevent bone loss
weight-bearing exercise such as walking, low-impact aerobics, or tennis
work best.
An adequate calcium intake is essential
in the prevention of osteoporosis. Good sources of calcium include dairy
products, leafy green vegetables, nuts, and seafood. Most women get only
about half of the calcium they need everyday so taking a calcium
supplement is often advisable. The best form of calcium for preventing
bone loss is calcium carbonate. If you choose to use supplements it's
important that you understand that the body can only absorb up to 750 mg
of calcium at one time, so you will need to divide your dose if the
amount of calcium supplement you take exceeds that amount.
Vitamin D is necessary for the body to
absorb calcium--milk that is fortified with Vitamin D is one of the best
sources. Sunlight also is an excellent source of Vitamin D--being in the
sun for just 15 minutes a day helps the body produce and activate
Vitamin D.
How much calcium do you need? Calcium
is important throughout a woman's life, although the amount necessary
varies with age.
- Children from ages 1-10 require 800
mg of calcium daily.
- Teenagers need 1200 to 1500 mg of
calcium per day.
- Women between 25 and 50 need 1000 mg
of daily calcium before menopause and 1500 mg after surgical or
premature menopause.
- Women over 50 require 1500 mg of
calcium if they are not taking estrogen and 1000 mg if taking
estrogen.
- Pregnant or nursing women need an
additional 400 mg of calcium daily.
Younger women who experience the
symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may be pleasantly surprised to
find their symptoms are reduced by employing these osteoporosis
preventing techniques. Studies show that calcium supplementation may
reduce or prevent up to 50% of all PMS symptoms, and proper exercise is often
effective for reducing PMS symptoms.
If you feel that you are at risk for
osteoporosis, talk with your physician. You physician may order a bone
density scan which is a simple and painless tool that measures bone
density. Women who do not take estrogen after menopause have other
options for preventing osteoporosis including drugs such as calcitonin
which slows bone loss. Your physician can help you determine what is
best for you.
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