Osteoporosis: Disease Destroy Bones

Osteoporosis:  Disease Destroy Bones

Osteoporosis:

Known as “porous bone,” osteoporosis thins the bone foundation so much that even a simple fall or knock against a car door or piece of furniture can cause a fracture. Broken bones can occur anywhere on your body, but wrist, hip, and spine fractures are most prevalent.

Strong bones are a good objective at any age. After 50, one in two women and one in five men break their bones, making a fracture-proof frame more important. Fortunately, there are many things you can do at home and with your doctor to prevent painful fractures that can restrict your independence and potentially increase your risk of medical issues.

Definitions

An area's calcium and mineral content is called bone density. Calcium-coated protein strands form strong bones. Due to age, lack of activity, and poor calcium and vitamin D intake, this support system thins. Reduced bone density increases fracture risk. 

Women's sex hormone: Oestrogen. The ovaries and adrenal glands produce oestrogen, a group of chemicals that govern the menstrual cycle and impact the brain and blood vessels. Oestrogen replacement treatment treats menopause hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and bone weakening. 

Causes and Risks

Deborah Sellmeyer, M.D., medical director of Johns Hopkins Metabolic Bone Centre, says we rarely feel bone activity. Throughout our lives, specialized cells update the microscopic structure of collagen (a protein) and minerals, including calcium, that keep bones sturdy. Daily, old bone is broken down and replaced.

Risk after 25 years

Until age 25, this effort creates more bone than it takes away, increasing bone density. Bone density stays steady from 25 to 50 due to equal bone production and degradation. After 50, bone resorption outpaces production and accelerates, especially during menopause.

Because female bones are smaller and less thick than male bones, they are more likely to develop osteoporosis and osteopenia. After menopause, bone-building oestrogen levels drop, increasing risk. Men are equally at risk. A family history of osteoporosis-related fractures increases both sexes' risk.

Medical Disorder

Specific medical disorders or medications can directly or indirectly weaken bones. Overactive thyroid or parathyroid glands, chronic lung illness, cancer, endometriosis, vitamin D insufficiency, and prednisone are examples.

Other risks include these conditions and practices:

• Inadequate calcium, vitamin D, potassium, or protein intake
• Inactivity
• Smoking cigarettes
• Alcohol abuse
• Long-term usage of glucocorticoids (such as prednisone for asthma or arthritis), some antiseizure medicines, and aluminum-containing antacids
• Dietary abnormalities that lower weight
• Low oestrogen or testosterone levels

Target these calcium levels:

1,000 mg daily for women under 50 and men under 70.

For women over 50 and men over 70, the daily recommended calcium intake is 1,200 mg. Dialysis patients with kidney failure should consult their doctor about calcium intake, according to Sellmeyer.

Prevention

No time is too early to consider bone mineral density. Prevent osteoporosis with these steps.

It is important to reach your daily calcium goal as it helps to reduce the risk of fractures, Calcium-rich foods contain protein and magnesium, meeting all your calcium needs. Supplements help people who struggle to get enough calcium from meals.

Get calcium from diet or supplements.

• Foods high in calcium:
• 300 mg per cup of low-fat milk or yogurt
• Kale (100 milligrams per cup boiled)
• calcium-firming tofu (253 mg per half cup)
• beans (81 mg per half cup white, 40 mg per pinto, 23 mg per black)
• morning cereals and orange juice with 1,000 mg of calcium per serving
• Food labels display calcium as a percentage of 1,000 mg, so if the label says “45%,” A serving contains 450 mg of calcium.

Add D. 

Vitamin D aids calcium absorption and bone formation. Sellmeyer says the current recommended is 600 IU of vitamin D per day through 70 and 800 IU after 70. You may need additional vitamin D to get good blood levels. It is hard to get all that from meals every day, therefore you may need a vitamin D Supplement.

Include protein and potassium.  Most adults do not get 4,700 mg daily. Get enough protein. “Bone is interlocked protein strands with minerals and calcium attached, so protein is important for strong bones,” adds Sellmeyer. Protein aids bone repair in several trials.

Lift weights regularly. Walking, dancing, aerobics, weightlifting: Sellmeyer adds “Any activity that puts your bones to work stimulates the remodeling that keeps bone strong.” “Walk instead of paying for a gym membership. Start with 15–20 minutes daily. If you are feeble, work with a physical therapist to move appropriately and avoid injuries.

Reduce caffeine and alcohol. Overdrinking reduces bone density.

Quit smoking. Tobacco use causes considerable bone loss in women and men, slower fracture recovery, and more problems. Quitting may lower the risk.

Female Journey: Bone Up—Osteoporosis

Diagnosis

Osteoporosis is a silent disease that weakens your skeleton. Scheduling a bone scan when advised is crucial. All women 65 and older and younger women at increased fracture risk should get bone density examinations. For men over 70 or at high risk for bone weakening, their doctor may recommend osteoporosis screening.

If you have osteoporosis risk factors or warning signs, ask your doctor about an early scan:

• Post-50 bone fracture
• Unexpected backache
• Reduction in height or stooping
• Medicine that thins bones
• Abone-threatening illnesses like those above
• Family osteoporosis or fracture history

DXA scans evaluate bone mineral density. Your bone density is compared to the typical BMD of an adult of your sex and race at peak bone mass (25–30). It is your T score.

• A T score of -1 to +1 indicates normal bone density.
• An osteopenia T score of -1 to -2.5 shows low bone density.
• Low bone density is osteoporosis with a T score of -2.5 or lower.

Remember that every one-point dip below 0 (BMD on par with a 25- to 35-year-old) doubles fracture risk. Your doctor may also estimate your risk for any fracture and a hip fracture in 10 years using your BMD data. Bone density, family history, and smoking affect this fracture prognosis.

Treatment

If you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, your doctor will recommend the aforementioned preventative strategies to minimize bone loss and reduce fracture risk. She may also suggest osteoporosis medication.

Medication choice depends on bone loss, medication tolerance, and doctor-patient goals. “Discuss the risks and benefits of taking a medication—and of not taking one—with your doctor,” Sellmeyer advises. “Some osteoporosis drugs have been criticized for their side effects, but not taking one could mean losing significant fracture protection. Not taking medication is risky. Consider trade-offs.”

There are five main osteoporosis medications:

1. Calcitonin: According to studies, using a daily nostril spray called calcitonin reduces spinal fractures by 25%. However, there is no proof, as Sellmeyer says.“But it is one of the best-tolerated osteoporosis medications.” Due to concerns regarding a 1% increase in cancer risk, the FDA examined this medicine and kept it on the market while urging patients and doctors to consider the risks and benefits.
2. Raloxifene: The once-a-day drug raloxifene decreases spine fractures by 30%. Raloxifene functions by inhibiting estrogen in certain tissues while promoting it in others.” Sellmeyer says. It can lower breast cancer risk but increase blood clot risk and hot flashes.
3. Bisphosphonates lower hip and spinal fracture risk by 50% to 60%. You can take these medications once a day, once a month, or once a year intravenously. Oral drugs can cause heartburn while intravenous treatments can cause flu-like symptoms after the first infusion. Rare hazards include poor healing after dental work (1 in 50,000 patients) and stress fractures after long-term use (1 in 75,000 patients). Most clinicians use these drugs intermittently: five to eight years of treatment, one or more years off, then five to eight years again if fracture risk warrants it.
4. Denosumab, an under-the-skin injection twice a year, reduces spine and hip fracture risk by 50–60%. The FDA authorized this drug in 2010. Side effects include rashes, eczema, and a little infection risk.
5. Parathyroid hormone, injected under the skin daily, reduces spine fracture risk by 65% and other fracture risk by 53%. “This medication stimulates bone remodeling rather than just slowing bone breakdown, but use is limited to two years,” adds Sellmeyer. Skin responses at the injection site, blood and urine calcium elevations, and bone soreness are side effects. This medicine induces osteosarcoma in rats at high dosages, but not in humans.

Learn about osteoporosis symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Living With

1. Osteoporosis can impact your life, but the “Prevention” section has good measures to control it. More safety recommendations to help you enjoy your favorite hobbies as much as possible.
2. Live and connect. Physical therapists can help you move safely and enjoy a physical relationship with your partner. If you need to change your sport or pastime, tell your family and find other ways to spend time together.
3. Stay balanced. Keep your eyeglass prescription current and acquire hearing aids to prevent falls. (Diminished hearing raises fall and balance risks.) Keep floors and stairs clear of trip hazards. Discuss safe muscle-building workouts with a physical therapist or your doctor. Strong muscles reduce fall risk. Ask about posture-enhancing exercises to lower your spine fracture risk. After an osteoporotic fracture, utilize a walker or cane as prescribed by your doctor to improve your balance and activity. If you are drowsy or dizzy, ask your doctor if other medications are to blame and what to do.
4. Discuss sentiments. Depression may result from bone loss if you can no longer do what you enjoy or have lost independence. Discuss your mood and anxiety with your doctor. Consider support groups. The National Osteoporosis Foundation lists them on nof.org.

Research

1. Johns Hopkins researchers are studying osteoporosis in several ways to prevent and improve its treatment. Some notable findings:
2. Strong muscles protect weak bones. Stronger muscles were associated with higher bone mineral density in an 84-person Johns Hopkins study. That may be because strengthening muscles stress bones, increasing growth.
3. Checking bones reduces hip fracture risk. Johns Hopkins researchers showed that osteoporosis screening reduced hip fracture risk by 36% in 3,107 patients over six years. Researchers believe screenings can detect weakening bones in time for therapy.

For Carers

• These methods can help a loved one stay strong and fracture-free.
• Strong diet. Make bone-friendly meals, snacks, and desserts.
• Make the most of drugs. Remind your loved one to take osteoporosis meds.
• Try easy yet effective fall prevention. Encourage your loved one to wear glasses and hearing aids and limit fall risk by wearing supportive shoes and keeping floors clean.
• Celebrate fitness. Encourage your loved one to follow the doctor or physical therapist-recommended exercise routines.
• Stay positive. Help your osteoporosis-afflicted loved one find new ways to socialize and enjoy life.

Risk factor: Anything that increases illness risk. Smoking and obesity are cancer and diabetes risk factors, respectively. 

Testosterone: A male sex hormone. Testes (testicles) produce testosterone, which maintains muscle mass, red blood cells, bone strength, reproductive health, and well-being. A reduction in this hormone causes sex drive, mood swings, and other symptoms in older men. These symptoms may be treated with testosterone replacement treatment.

Conclusion

Strength training, walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, tennis, and dancing are weight-bearing exercises. Strong bones can result from this exercise. Avoid smoking. Smoking compromises bones.

First, eat nutrient-dense foods with plenty of calcium, vitamin D, and other vitamins and minerals. Exercise, quitting smoking, eating herbs, and tai chi may also help. Before starting anything new, consult your doctor.