When you were a growing child, your parents would often tell you to drink your milk and get some exercise. There is a reason for this. Lack of exercise and inadequate calcium intake can make your bones weak, and weak bones are susceptible to osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is when a person develops weak, thin and brittle bones. Weakened bones are prone to fractures. When women are post menopausal and start losing bone mass, they’re developing osteoporosis. Some older women have weakened bones and show signs of osteoporosis.
Bone is not lifeless, it is something that changes and develops from birth till we reach thirty. Diet and exercise both play a major role in determining the health of our bones. Calcium gives our bones strength and density. So does regular bone strengthening exercise like walking and jogging. In particular weight bearing exercises help keep bone mass at a healthy level. Lifting weights not only helps you look great on the outside, but it can keep your bones fit.
Bone keeps growing and developing until 30 years of age. After age 30 our bones natually begin to deteriorate. This makes it so important to build up the strength of our bones before the age of thirty. After that bones start thinning down, become porous. This process is not limited to women only, but men also.
Women are more susceptible during menopause. During menopause estrogen levels fall, and this causes loss of bone tissue. It seems that estrogen helps bones absorb calcium present in the blood. The first ten years after menopause are the most crucial since the maximum amount of bone loss happens then.
To prevent osteoporosis both men and women need to ensure that they take adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D. Excellent sources of calcium include, milk, cheese, okra, peas, cabbage, salmon, shrimp. Calcium rich breads, juices can also be consumed. Vitamins can also be a good source of calcium.
Vitamin D plays a very important role in the bone building process. Vitamin D helps your bones absorb the calcium from your blood streatm.
Vitamin D is present in eggs, dairy products and fish. A glass of milk consumed daily can give you about one fourth of your daily requirement. Exposing your body to sunlight can help supply your body vitamin D and you can also have supplements.
Osteoporosis which literally means “Porous bone” is a disease related to bones which weakens the bones and increases the risk of unexpected fractures. The disease does not have any visible symptoms and is not exposed until the weakened bones lead to fractures especially in hips or back. The disease is predominant among women and one third of women in the world above the age of fifty are said to have osteoporosis.
Our bones are made of living tissue which grows and remodels itself continuously. There is dense bone which forms the outer shell and protects the internal trabecular bone which is sponge-like and is of soft nature. People, who suffer from osteoporosis, will have the holes in these sponge-like bones enlarged and this weakens the structure of the bones internally.
When people are young (less than 30 years of age) the bone mass is increased and bones are stronger. But after this age, the bones begin to breakdown leading to loss of bone mass gradually. When this bone mass reduces below a threshold level, the person suffers from Osteoporosis.
Postmenopausal Osteoporosis is very common among women over the age of forty and is usually caused as a result of menopause. There is a straight forward relationship between lack of estrogen hormone and osteoporosis in women. In case of some women early menopause can occur (i.e., below the age of 40) and this leads to Osteoporosis. In case of delayed periods during which the level of estrogen hormone is less and menstrual period is absent, there can be some bone mass reduction leading to the disease.
Postmenopausal Osteoporosis is very common and deadly than premenopausal osteoporosis as it occurs to people of age above 40. Women who have experienced menopause recently will have greater osteoclasts which are cells responsible for the destruction of bones than normal women who haven’t experienced menopause. Also, the menopause naturally leads to the decrease in production of estrogen hormone as a woman becomes sterile after menopause. But estrogen is also important for the regulation of remodeling cycle in bones. So, women can experience rapid loss of bones after their menopause. Estrogen helps in regulating the bone remodeling and keeps it under control but since the amount of estrogen secretion becomes low, the bone mass gets reduced. There are 2 types of cells that play dominant role in bone remodeling, osteoclasts which help in bone resorption (bone eating) and osteoblasts which help in bone formation. Due to lack of sufficient estrogen, osteoclasts become more dominant and bone resorption or bone loss occurs at faster rate than bone formation leading to the weakening of bones.
So, it is very clear that menopause has some direct impact on Osteoporosis as it leads to bone loss due to the insufficient secretion of estrogen hormone in women. The excessive bone loss leads to thinning of bones in women over age of 40 who have experienced menopause.
Caffeine is a good energy booster and makes us feel fresh but excess consumption of caffeine in form of brewed coffee and tea can lead to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a common disease in women that leads to the thinning of bones and leads to high risk of unexpected fractures. It is known to have affected around one-third of women over the age of 50 and increases risk of bone fractures suddenly especially in back and hips. The bones tend to get brittle and weaker due to the lack of sufficient calcium content and become porous in nature. Osteoporosis is a term which literally refers to porous bones.
It is said that drinking more amount of caffeinated coffee can lead to reduction of bone mineral density (BMI) especially at the back and hip devoid of various other factors like age, sex, obesity, menopause in women, alcohol intake etc. Women who consume a glass of milk each day will have sufficient calcium content in their bones and caffeine intake does not affect such women. So, the best ways to avoid Osteoporosis is to intake at least a glass of milk each day and have calcium rich diet like cheese, eggs, yogurt, butter, sardines, salmon, and tofu.
And Coffee and alcohol are considered as calcium absorbers and we should avoid taking them in more quantity. Coffee, tea and Soft drinks like Cola are not good for our bones as they contain excess amount of Caffeine which leads to the wastage of Calcium in our body through urine. People who drink more than 2 cups of brewed coffee or 4 cups of brewed tea every day are at high risk of getting Osteoporosis due to the caffeine content in them which can lead to elimination of calcium from our body. Also smoking can lead to decrease in calcium content due to Nicotine which is also a calcium robber. The calories from soft drinks like Cola also add extra weight to our bones and make them soft.
It has been proved that Osteoporosis is caused mainly due to lack of Calcium and insufficient estrogen secretion in women after menopause. Since Excessive Caffeine can cause bone breakdown by robbing the calcium content in our body, we should avoid using it.
Osteoporosis which literally means “Porous bone” is a disease related to bones which weakens the bones and increases the risk of unexpected fractures. The disease does not have any visible symptoms and is not exposed until the weakened bones lead to fractures especially in hips or back. The disease is predominant among women and one third of women in the world above the age of fifty are said to have osteoporosis.
Our bones are made of living tissue which grows and remodels itself continuously. There is dense bone which forms the outer shell and protects the internal trabecular bone which is sponge-like and is of soft nature. People, who suffer from osteoporosis, will have the holes in these sponge-like bones enlarged and this weakens the structure of the bones internally.
When people are young (less than 30 years of age) the bone mass is increased and bones are stronger. But after this age, the bones begin to breakdown leading to loss of bone mass gradually. When this bone mass reduces below a threshold level, the person suffers from Osteoporosis.
Postmenopausal Osteoporosis is very common among women over the age of forty and is usually caused as a result of menopause. There is a straight forward relationship between lack of estrogen hormone and osteoporosis in women. In case of some women early menopause can occur (i.e., below the age of 40) and this leads to Osteoporosis. In case of delayed periods during which the level of estrogen hormone is less and menstrual period is absent, there can be some bone mass reduction leading to the disease.
Postmenopausal Osteoporosis is very common and deadly than premenopausal osteoporosis as it occurs to people of age above 40. Women who have experienced menopause recently will have greater osteoclasts which are cells responsible for the destruction of bones than normal women who haven’t experienced menopause. Also, the menopause naturally leads to the decrease in production of estrogen hormone as a woman becomes sterile after menopause. But estrogen is also important for the regulation of remodeling cycle in bones. So, women can experience rapid loss of bones after their menopause. Estrogen helps in regulating the bone remodeling and keeps it under control but since the amount of estrogen secretion becomes low, the bone mass gets reduced. There are 2 types of cells that play dominant role in bone remodeling, osteoclasts which help in bone resorption (bone eating) and osteoblasts which help in bone formation. Due to lack of sufficient estrogen, osteoclasts become more dominant and bone resorption or bone loss occurs at faster rate than bone formation leading to the weakening of bones.
So, it is very clear that menopause has some direct impact on Osteoporosis as it leads to bone loss due to the insufficient secretion of estrogen hormone in women. The excessive bone loss leads to thinning of bones in women over age of 40 who have experienced menopause.
It is an undeniable fact that women are far more prone to osteoporosis than men. They normally lose their bone mass more rapidly as they age. In between 20 to 80 years of age, a maximum number of women of western countries lose one-third of their hip bone density. This equation is far worse than men who lose only one-fourth of their bone density.
Recently, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases have revealed some of the relevant facts regarding osteoporosis in women. According to the osteoporosis statistics, there are 44 million people under the threat of osteoporosis in the whole world. More than 68% out of them are women. After crossing the age of 50, nearly 1 in every 2 women is at risk for osteoporosis-related fractures. If you take into account all the cases of hip osteoporosis then you will find that 75 % of those are concerned with women.
Females can put some efforts in their teenage years to curb the risk of osteoporosis for the lifetime. Peak bone mass is acquired by females between the age of 13 to 18. It is the right time to go for aerobics and other routine exercises. It will help to strengthen each and every bone of the body and prevent the risk of bone diseases later on. Increase in bone mass takes place only up to 30 years of age. After that the replacement of bone cells will take place but increase in bone mass will surely not!
Whenever a woman suffers from bone disease like osteoporosis, a hormone inside the body called estrogen remains the usual suspect. It is a hormone which is responsible for the regulation of woman’s reproductive cycle. Alongside, it also balances the strength and health of bones. After menopause the level of estrogen inside the female body drops down to a drastic level. Insufficient supply of this hormone may result in osteoporosis at that time.
There are some of the conditions concerned with estrogen levels that can hike the risk of osteoporosis to a great extent. If a woman is experiencing infrequent or irregular periods, or having her periods later than the normal age then the risk of osteoporosis is quite high. Further, if a woman had her ovaries removed at any of the age then also the risk for osteoporosis is immensely high.
Is it possible to cure osteoporosis? With the advancement in the field of medical sciences one can cure this bone disease to a possible extent. All you are required is to follow the instructions provided by your doctor and complete the course of treatment without any interruption.
There are many treatments available for osteoporosis. Their basic objective is to stop or if not possible then decelerating the bone loss. They also minimize the risk of bone fractures and control the pain caused due to the deterioration of bone tissues. Controlling the bone loss is only the 50% part of the treatment. Rest 50% of the treatment is targeted to increase the bone mass. Doctors also prescribe Vitamin D and calcium to the patients of osteoporosis. Estrogen is a hormone which is considered to be the main offender behind osteoporosis in women. This problem can be cured with the help of estrogen replacement therapy.
In the case of postmenopausal women, Bisphosphonates are a kind of drug that is widely used for the prevention and treatment of this bone disease. There are two types of bisphosphonates that are presently permitted for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. These are risedronate (Actonel) and alendronate (Fosamax). They are very effective against bone loss, hip and spinal fractures. They not only prevent the disorders of the bone but also improve the bone density.
If you are a woman who have gone through menopause, then hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can prove to be an ideal treatment for you. It is also popular by the name of estrogen replacement therapy. With the help of replacement therapy new set of estrogen hormones are supplied to the woman’s body which not only prevent further degradation of bones but also protect them from heart disease.
Osteoporosis is a kind of bone disease which is characterized by the structural wear and tear of the bone tissue. This disease will eventually lead to delicate bones and low bone mass. The bones of wrist, hip and spine are highly prone to this disease. This is simply due to the fact that the bones of these regions are not very well framed. It is among the most prominent bone diseases because here the bone loss happens without symptoms. Many people not even consult a doctor regarding osteoporosis until a fracture occurs in their fragile bones.
Here we will discuss on the issue whether there are hereditary factors associated with this disease or not. A large number of people ask the question that is osteoporosis hereditary? Here we can discuss about some of the facts related with this disease. After that you can predict by your own whether this disease has some heritable link or not.
If we talk about the United States alone then there are more than 10 million peoples in the country suffering from osteoporosis. More than 34 million peoples have low bone mass and are under the threat of developing this disease. If we talk about the people who have crossed the age of 50 then 1 out of every 2 women and 1 out of every 4 men suffer from an osteoporosis related fracture during their lifetime. Now here are some of the shocking facts for you! Each year, osteoporosis is the main offender behind 700,000 vertebral fractures, 300,000 hip fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures and over 300,000 cases related with other forms of fractures. Nearby $14 billion each year are wasted to heal the fractures caused by this bone disease.
Do you know why the dairy products always remain in great demand? It is basically because we are intelligent people and know that we need much amount of calcium for the protection of bones and tissues. It is estimated that an adult human being requires 800 mg of calcium each day. This amount is quite high in case of a pregnant or nursing woman.
In the developed countries like US it is recommended to have 800 mg to 1200 mg of calcium everyday. It is basically because in European and American countries undue soft drink consumption is common with both teenagers and adults. The phosphoric acid present in soft drinks removes a significant amount of calcium from the body. This is the reason why the consumption of more calcium is preferable.
It is believed that the daily consumption of dairy products will strengthen our bones. But the story is quite different when it comes to osteoporosis, a common bone disease. Milk is also an important dairy product but some important studies have clearly revealed that the consumption of milk is directly proportional to the rate of osteoporosis. Shocking! Isn’t it?
On the other hand, underdeveloped African Bantu women merely require 350 mg of calcium each day. In their lifetime they bear up to 9 children and recurrently breast feed them for 2 years. They never suffer from the deficiency of calcium and hardly become the victim of natural bone fracture.
If you are willing to know how osteoporosis is diagnosed and how it should be diagnosed then you are at the right place. There are many methods to diagnose this type of bone disease. It is up to your doctor which method he or she will recommend in your case. There is a sense of nervousness among the patients before seeing the doctor for the first time. The main objective of writing this article is to remove that nervousness and to highlight some of the methods for diagnosing this kind of bone disease.
To diagnose osteoporosis precisely, there are four types of medical practices widely used. This diagnosis involves a physical assessment, various laboratory tests, medical history of the patient, and finally an important test to evaluate bone density. All these four medical practices have their own role to calculate the disease’s progression rate. All the tests conducted on the patient’s body help to reach on to the following conclusions: what are the potential causes behind the disease? What is the correct amount of bone mass declined from the affected area? Is the affected area highly prone to bone fractures?
If you are consulting recognized bone specialists then chances are high that he or she will ask you a number of questions. These questions will be directly associated with your diet and routine activities. Besides, doctor will also discuss about the medications, vitamins and other supplements taken by you.
Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which the affected person’s bones start deteriorating and start losing density and mass. It is really dangerous because the afflicted person often does not realize it and the bones become fragile and break. This can afflict the spine, the hips and wrists causing fractures and since the bones have already deteriorated, the recovery is very slow. Women who are menopausal are more likely to get this disease, but men can get it too. However only one in eight men can get osteoporosis whereas one in four women are at risk for osteoporosis.
How to check who is at risk for osteoporosis?
Menopausal and postmenopausal women are at risk for osteoporosis.
Women who have had an early menopause or hysterectomy at 45 years of age or younger.
Old people, especially over 65 years of age are more prone to getting hysterectomy
Ethnic origins have a major role to play in this disease. If you are Caucasian or Asian you are prone to getting osteoporosis.
Generally women who are underweight are likely to get osteoporosis.
People who have family history of osteoporosis, like parents and siblings or relatives who have osteoporosis are more likely to get it.
People who have the tendency of getting shattered bones even at low impact, height loss or if they develop a hunch, they must get themselves checked.
People who suffer chronic diseases like Diabetis Type 1, Eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, thyroid disorders, chronic lung disease, rheumatoid arthritis, aids etc. should get themselves checked as they are at risk for osteoporosis.
People who have been suffering from prolonged illness or on bed rest.
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