What you need to know about osteoporosis

Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone doesn’t keep up with the removal of old bone.

It is a disease characterised by low bone mass and loss of bone tissue that may lead to weak and fragile bones.

The disease causes bones to become weak and brittle, so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses such as bending over or coughing can cause a fracture.

Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur in the hip, wrist or spine. It affects men and women of all races.

Medications, healthy diet and weight-bearing exercise can help prevent bone loss or strengthen already weak bones.

There are usually no symptoms in the early stages but once the bone loss is severe, you may have signs and symptoms that include:

• Back pain, caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra.
• Shortening of person over time.
• A stooped posture.
• Bones that fracture easily.

Causes

When you are young, your body makes new bone faster than it breaks down old bone and your bone mass increases.Most people reach their peak bone mass by their early 20s.

As people age, bone mass is lost faster than it is created. The bone mass you attained in your youth is critical to how at risk you are of osteoporosis.

The higher your peak bone mass, the more bone you have “in the bank” and the less likely you are to develop osteoporosis as you age.

Picture: iStock

Risk factors

Factors that can increase the likelihood of developing osteoporosis include:

• Your sex: women are much more likely to develop osteoporosis than are men.

• Age: the older you get, the greater your risk of osteoporosis.

• Race: you’re at greatest risk of osteoporosis if you are white or of Asian descent.

• Family history: having a parent or sibling with osteoporosis puts you at greater risk, especially if your mother or father experienced a hip fracture.

• Body frame size: men and women who have small body frames tend to have a higher risk because they may have less bone mass to draw from as they age.

• Sex hormones: lowered sex hormone levels tend to weaken bone. The reduction of estrogen levels in women at menopause is one of the strongest risk factors for developing osteoporosis.

• Thyroid problems: too much thyroid hormone can cause bone loss.

• Low calcium intake: alifelong lack of calcium plays a role in the development of osteoporosis. Low calcium intake contributes to diminished bone density, early bone loss and an increased risk of fractures.

• Eating disorders: Severely restricting food intake and being underweight weakens bone in both men and women.

• Gastrointestinal surgery: surgery to reduce the size of your stomach or to remove part of the intestine limits the amount of surface area available to absorb nutrients, including calcium.

• Medical conditions. The risk of osteoporosis is higher in people who have certain medical problems, like cancer, arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Picture: iStock

Prevention

Good nutrition and regular exercise are essential for keeping your bones healthy throughout your life.

Protein is one of the building blocks of bone. If you do not eat meat do intentionally seek other suitable sources, such as soy, nuts, legumes, and dairy and eggs if allowed. Protein supplementation is an option.

Being underweight increases the chance of bone loss and fractures. Excess weight is now known to increase the risk of fractures in your arm and wrist. As such, maintaining an appropriate body weight is good for bones just as it is for health in general.

Good sources of calcium include: dairy products, green leafy vegetables, salmon and sardines. Do use supplements carefully as they have been linked to kidney stones.

Vitamin D improves your body’s ability to absorb calcium and improves bone health in other ways. People can get adequate amounts of vitamin D from sunlight.

Exercise can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss.

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