Osteoporosis:
The facts behind the disease.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a loss of bone tissue and, therefore, total bone mass and density. Any reduction in bone density will weaken the bone. There are 20,000,000 reported cases worldwide, mostly women. More than 1.5 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis - related fractures each year; 50% of women over the age of 40 have some degree of osteoporosis.

What happens when your bone density decreases?

Your bones become weak and brittle to the point when your bones fracture or crack. Unfortunately, many times osteoporosis is not detected until a fracture has occurred. Fractures usually occur in the wrists, spine or hips. This is because these areas are made up of the most porous and metabolically active bone tissue in the body known as trabecular bone. A fracture means loss of independence and functional capacity, severe pain and even death. Hip fracture complications can be fatal.

What is the cause?

The cause can be linked to several things such as age, gender, heredity, nutrition, lack of exercise and menopause. The primary cause of osteoporosis is related to the dramatic decrease of estrogen in post-menopausal women. Estrogen is responsible for inhibiting excessive bone breakdown and balancing the levels of calcium available to the bones. Your bones are living tissue which absorb calcium through the blood and store it in the bones which causes an increase in bone density. When the blood level calcium decreases or is disturbed through lack of estrogen, the result is the loss of bone tissue.

Much needs to be learned about Estrogen Replacement Therapy. We do know that these treatments can slow down bone loss, however, they can't reverse the damage that has already occurred and may have undesirable side effects such as breast cancer! At present, there is no medical treatment that has proven to do more than temporarily delay osteoporosis. It would make sense then, that prevention is the key.

So what is the best form of prevention?

The most important factors to consider are sufficient calcium intake and regular exercise. Calcium supplements are a good idea, however, osteoporosis may begin as early as your mid-thirties and, therefore, early intervention is a must. Besides sufficient calcium intake, vitamin D plays a major role in calcium absorption. The recommended daily intake for vitamin D is 400 international units (iu). Additionally, supplements have been proven mostly ineffective if not taken in conjunction with an exercise routine. Exercise enhances the bones' ability to utilize dietary and supplemental calcium, thus the best way to reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis is to start at an early age making sure you take in 800-1,500 milligrams of calcium per day, 400 iu's of Vitamin D per day and exercise regularly. Additionally, refraining from smoking and excessive alcohol use is vital.

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