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WHY SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED WITH OSTEOPOROSIS?
Osteoporosis is an almost inevitable consequence for women as they age.
The only variables are at what age will you develop it? And how badly affected
will you be by it?
WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS?
Author:
B. Phipps
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Last Review: 21/02/2003
Osteoporosis is the name given to bone, which has deteriorated in
respect of both its density and composition. This change in the bone means
that is now a fragile structure which has a greater chance of breaking, even
if subjected to little, if any, trauma.
WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES OF DEVELOPING OSTEOPOROSIS?
Author:
B. Phipps
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Last Review: 21/02/2003
The likelihood of developing osteoporosis will depend upon 3 elements.
- The strength to which your bones
developed when they were actively growing.
- The age at which your bones start
to deteriorate.
- The amount of bone that you will loose each year once the bones begin to deteriorate.
Although the overall control of these elements is through genetic factors, they will be influenced to a greater or lesser extent by lifestyle and choices made. For example weight bearing exercise, and an appropriate calcium intake can only help bone tissue whereas smoking, excessive alcohol and caffeine are harmful to bone. Bone health can also be influenced by certain health problems eg Crohn's disease, and medication regimens eg anticonvulsants and anticoagulants. Unfortunately having done everything in your life, which is positive for bone health and nothing that is known to be harmful is no guarantee that you will have strong bones!
HOW DO BONES DEVELOP AND DETERIORATE?
Author:
B. Phipps
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Last Review: 21/02/2003
Bones develop and grow rapidly during childhood and early adulthood.
It is at this time that efforts need to be made to enhance the potential
development which that individuals bones have, by incorporating lifestyle
elements that are known to foster rather than hinder bone development.
From mid thirties to forty years of age, bones will begin their gradual
deterioration. This generally slow loss of the bones mineralisation
will continue for the rest of life. When a woman becomes menopausal
she no longer produces oestrogen. The lack of oestrogen causes an
acceleration of bone loss. The amount of bone lost during this phase
is variable and can for some women be of excessive amounts. The period
of increased bone loss continues for approximately 10 years before generally
settling back to a slower rate of loss. It is almost inevitable therefore
that should a woman achieve her average life expectancy of 80+ years her bones
at this time will be thin and probably osteoporotic, and this is if the
individual fits into the so called 'average' or normal group. If however
an individual is someone who did not achieve their maximum potential bone
strength and/or began their bone loss at an earlier age and/or lost bone
more rapidly than others, then they are likely to have poor bones at an
earlier time in their lives.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR BONE STRENGTH IS?
Author:
B. Phipps
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Last Review: 21/02/2003
You may assume that because you have led a healthy lifestyle your bones
are healthy, or because your lifestyle has been poor then your bones are
poor, but this may not necessarily be the case. The only way at present,
of being clearly aware of what state your bones are in, is by having a bone
density scan. A scan will identify for you how your hip and spinal bones
(the most vulnerable areas to be affected in osteoporosis) compare to other
individuals of a similar height, weight, gender and ethnic status.
The scan tells you whether your bones are considered to be of average, below
average or above average density. This then indicates what their strength
and likelihood of breaking is.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP BONES?
Author:
B. Phipps
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Last Review: 21/02/2003
When your bones are actively growing (childhood and early adulthood) is
the time to ensure that you eat a well balanced diet which includes the
recommended dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D. You should ensure that
you have plenty of weight bearing exercise, consume only moderate amounts of
caffeine and alcohol and do not smoke or be a passive smoker.
The continuation of these factors throughout life should be encouraged,
being mindful that events in your life (eg pregnancy, breast feeding) as
well as ageing will affect your dietary requirements for calcium and vitamin
D. Excessive exercising or dieting, to the degree that interferes with the
menstrual cycle, should be avoided. The onset of the menopause is a
crucial milestone in bone deterioration, which means that any choices
related to the earlier onset of this stage should be carefully weighed as to
the benefits versus the drawbacks. Once the menopause has been reached
then you should seriously consider the role that hormone replacement
therapy has clearly been shown to have in maintaining bone strength.
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS
Author:
Alessandra Graziottin, MD
Gynaecologist
Last Review: 22/10/2002
- Keep under control the bone density
by regularly asking your doctor to carry out the appropriate
test
- Follow a diet rich in calcium and
phosphorous, vitamin D, magnesium and boron (found in milk,
cheese, meat and legumes)
- Have regular physical exercise
Copyright © Alessandra Graziottin 2002
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