Osteoporosis Basics:

Osteoporosis is the most common type of bone disease and is characterized by low bone mineral density and altered bone microstructure which causes bone fragility. Osteoporosis is considered to have occurred when the body fails to form enough new bone, when too much old bone is reabsorbed by the body or both. Osteoporosis can cause major problems for individuals who have this disease. Pain and bone deformity are the most common manifestations of osteoporosis. Other problems are vertebrae, wrist, and hip fractures, bone tenderness, loss of height over time and stooped posture. Unfortunately, over 10 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis while another 18 million “have low bone mass, or osteopenia” (ADAM, 2003).

Osteoporosis is usually classified as primary or secondary. Primary osteoporosis is the form seen in older individuals and post-menopausal women who simply have more bone loss than is normally seen for their age and sex. Primary senile osteoporosis (occurring in those over the age of 70) results in a loss of both cortical and trabecular bone.

Secondary osteoporosis may result from varied conditions including metabolic bone disease (such as hyperparathyroidism), malnutrition, drug therapy (such as with corticosteroids), prolonged immobilization, and according to some sources even weightlessness with space travel. Osteoporosis due to space travel is not likely to affect the majority of the population and the most likely primary cause of secondary osteoporosis is long-term corticosteroids use.

Causes of Osteoporosis

Scientists continually work towards a better understating of this disease. But the best way to prevent a disease is to understand the cause. Gender and advanced age are the most obvious factors in this disease, as noted above. More studies are necessary to get a firm grip on the exact other causes of this disease but some key ideas include:

• Poor nutrition, especially diets lacking sufficient vitamin D and calcium.
• Estrogen deficiencies.
• Tobacco and alcohol use
• Women who are underweight or who fail to meet average exercise recommendation.

Other possible causes might be excessive caffeine and protein and inadequate vitamin K.

Preventing Osteoporosis

The best news about osteoporosis is that there’s a relatively easy way to prevent this disease from ever developing. Bone strength as you age is directly related to how well your bones developed during your youth. As parents we can make sure that our children, especially our daughters get adequate amounts of calcium – which is key to achieving optimum bone growth.

As usual foods are considered the best way to get calcium while supplements are a second resource when recommended by your doctor. One essential point about bone loss in your later years is that a simple pill can’t fix the problem. If you already have bone loss a calcium supplement or an entire cow’s worth of milk will not help to reverse the loss. This is one of those problems best prevented before it starts.

Healthy Bones Your Entire Life

• Children should have milk or calcium fortified soy milk as their main beverage to meet nutritional needs. Kids should be encouraged to play actively – sports, dance, or just biking in the park are great ways to keep kids active. Fluoridated water should be given to kids and of course discourage alcohol and smoking.
• Teens should also have milk as their primary beverage, continue to participate in active recreation, and also have fluoridated water.
• Adults (26-50 years of age) should continue with the same healthy habits as children and teens. At menopause women should talk to their doctors about possible estrogen replacement therapy. At this age fluoridated water is no longer necessary unless your doctor recommends it.
• Adults (50+ years of age) should continue along the same healthy path they started as children. Adults this age should only take calcium in supplement form is recommended by a doctor and should continue bone-strengthening exercises.

By following a simple plan like this you can take care of your bones for life and increase your chances of avoiding osteoporosis.

Refs:

Internet Pathology Laboratory. (2003). Osteoporosis tutorial. http://www-medlib.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL

Japanese Society for Bone and Mineral Research. (2001). Diagnostic criteria for primary osteoporosis: 19:331-337