Osteoporosis is a disease which gradually develops over a period of years. The resulting loss of bone tissue can leave those afflicted with very weak and fragile bones. If preventive measures are not taken, untreated osteoporosis can progress unnoticed for decades until a fracture occurs.
In the U.S., 10 million people have osteoporosis and 34 million more have low bone mass and therefore are at a high risk for this disease. Half of the women and one quarter of the men over the age of fifty will have an osteoporosis related fracture in their lifetime.
The World Health Organization established 4 diagnostic categories to identify various levels of bone density, comparative to young healthy individuals. The categories are: Normal, Osteopenia, Osteoporosis, and Established Osteoporosis.
Although over 2 million American men suffer from osteoporosis & many more are at risk, the most common form of this disease affects post menopausal women and often results in fractures of the hip, wrist or spine.
The 3 most significant factors contributing to post menopausal osteoporosis are believed to be:
1. Low levels of estrogen which associated with menopause, accelerates bone loss.
2. Insufficient amounts of calcium & vitamin D in the diet. Calcium is vital to the development & maintenance of strong bones and vitamin D is required to absorb calcium from the foods we eat.
3. Lack of physical activity (common among many adults today) is believed to contribute to lower bone density because the skeleton is not being taxed enough to stimulate new bone growth.
At this, time there is no known cure for osteoporosis. Estrogen drugs and calcium supplements may actually reverse bone loss, however their effectiveness diminishes over time.
The risks associated with hormone replacement therapy are now known & generally not recommended.
To prevent osteoporosis, it is recommended that we consume a diet rich in calcium and lead an active lifestyle. To develop the muscles that support the skeleton, include frequent weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, stair climbing, aerobic exercise and resistance training.
Lifestyle Changes That Can Help
1.Make weight-bearing exercise a part of your daily routine
Bones react to load by gradually growing stronger & denser.
2.Quit smoking and reduce your risk for osteoporosis & most other diseases.
3.Reduce soft drink consumption. The phosphorus in soft drinks appears to have a detrimental effect on bone tissue. Colas & beverages with caffeine & phosphorus appear to cause bone resorption (a problem for children & adults).
4.Be sure to get your daily dose of calcium (1200-1500 mg/day after age 50) and vitamin D. Both nutrients are necessary to build & maintain bone tissue.
5.See your doctor for a bone density test, after age 50.
Why Exercise is So Important for Preventing Osteoporosis
Our bones are living, growing tissue that respond to weight-bearing exercise by growing denser & stronger, similar to the way our muscles react to exercise. Younger active people produce more new bone tissue than they lose, therefore bone density increases. Generally we achieve maximum bone density & strength (peak bone mass) around the age of 30.
Bone density gradually begins to decline as we age and become less active. For women, bone loss is usually most rapid during the first few years after menopause. We now know that exercise, diet & minor lifestyle changes can slow & even reverse the bone loss that usually occurs as we age.
If you would like to reduce your risk of osteoporosis, increase your bone density and slow or reverse the normal bone loss associated with aging, Believe Fitness can help you get started.
Believe Fitness has an Osteoporosis Exercise program for you regardless of your age or fitness level.
