Bone Up on Osteoporosis

When most people think about osteoporosis, they think of a frail, elderly woman with declining health. However, this bone-thinning ailment also affects one in five men.

"It’s a common condition that can be treated effectively if detected early," says Dr. Felicia Cosman, an osteoporosis specialist at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw, N.Y.

The condition affects up to half of postmenopausal women, since estrogen loss occurs during menopause, and bone loss accelerates when estrogen levels are decreased. Osteoporosis literally means "porous bones" and occurs when spaces between the bones become larger, weakening them and making them more fragile.

"Osteoporosis affects the entire skeleton, but the two most serious problems are bone fractures in the hips and spine," Cosman says. Hip fractures often require surgery, while severe spinal fractures can impair bodily functions such as breathing, she says.

Building healthy and strong bones before you reach 30 and maintaining an active lifestyle are helpful in avoiding osteoporosis. No cure exists, but the disease is treatable. "Osteoporosis is a silent disease, so prevention is very important to think about, even in your 20s and 30s," Cosman says.

Three basic measures can help you prevent osteoporosis:

Get enough calcium

One simple way to prevent osteoporosis is by meeting your daily calcium requirement. "Calcium plays an integral role in the maintenance of a healthy skeleton," Cosman says. Adults should receive 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day, which is about three servings of dairy foods or other calcium-fortified foods.

If you’re not a milk drinker, calcium-fortified orange juice and cereals are available, and calcium supplements can satisfy the recommended daily allowance. "If you don’t like dairy foods, you can take a 300 milligram calcium supplement to replace each dairy serving that you miss," Cosman explains.

Exercise

Besides improving your overall health, exercise can help build bone mass. The best workout for your bones involves weight-bearing exercises such as walking, dancing, hiking, jogging and stair climbing. Racquet sports also are helpful and can add fun and variety to your workout.

Avoid smoking

Osteoporosis is another reason to quit smoking, because it reduces the blood supply to bones and nicotine slows the production of bone-forming cells and impairs the absorption of calcium.

Having a Bone Mineral Density (BMD) test is the only way to diagnose osteoporosis and assess your risk for future fractures. "This test is a painless X-ray that helps us assess if you are at risk for developing the disease," Cosman says.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that women 65 and older, regardless of other osteoporosis risk factors, have a bone mineral density test. All postmenopausal women who have a fracture also should be tested, as should premenopausal women with a family history of osteoporosis. Your physician can recommend the best age to begin testing based on your medical history.

Bethanne Black is a writer based in Buford, Ga.

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