Osteoporosis:
Why Healthy,
Premenopausal
Women Should be
Concerned
Nearly 50% of American women in their 30s and 40s are at risk for
Osteoporosis. Identifying your risk factors and current levels of bone loss can reduce the effects of this damaging disease.
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a “brittle bone” disease, occurring when excessive bone loss leads to gradual bone weakening. It is a silent disease which can go undetected for years - until the damage is severe enough to cause a fracture. A broken hip or wrist is often the first symptom of osteoporosis.
Have you ever observed the gradual loss of height and stooped posture of an elderly relative or friend? That’s a typical sign of osteoporosis.
Some bones, like the vertebrae in the spine, contain spongy bone tissue and are very susceptible to thinning. Weakened vertebrae can crack and compress from even simple activities like bending to tie a shoelace. Eventually these types of compression fractures lead to spinal deformities and loss of height.
Who’s at risk for osteoporosis?
Many more women than men get osteoporosis. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, nearly 50% of healthy American women in their 30s and 40s may be at risk for increased bone loss. One third of American women aged 50 and older are likely to suffer from spinal fractures. By the year 2000, osteoporosis will cause 500,000 hip fractures each year.
How do bones change?
Your skeleton is living tissue, composed of cells embedded in a mineral matrix. Fresh bone is continually created to replace worn segments. In fact, your body’s bones are completely replaced every 12 years.
From childhood into your early 20s, your bones continue to grow because new bone formation outweighs bone loss. By your late 20s, your bones are as strong and thick as they will ever be.
After age 35, bone building can no longer keep up with bone removal, and bone mass beings to decrease.
No one understands why gradual bone loss occurs with aging. It is clear, however, that dramatic increase in bone loss occurs during menopause.
What causes osteoporosis?
Many factors contribute to bone loss. Small or petite women and women with relatives who have osteoporosis are at greater risk for developing the disease. Medical factors include menstrual irregularities, early menopause, certain diseases, stress and some medications.
Lifestyle factors include lack of exercise, cigarette smoke, excessive alcohol consumption and crash dieting, or deficiencies in nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, trace minerals, B vitamins, and vitamin D. A diet low in fiber and high in sugar or phosphates (as found soft drinks) has also been lined to osteoporosis.
How do you test for osteoporosis?
There are several tests for bone loss. One uses x-rays to assess bone mass. Another - a bone biopsy - requires an invasive surgical procedure. However, these only detect bone loss after it has occurred.
Genova Diagnostics’ Bone Resorption Assessment, on the other hand, can measure bone loss before it becomes a problem. Using early warning indicators, this test:
- Reveals your current rate of bone loss.
- Determines whether you are at high risk for future bone loss and fractures
- Monitors effectiveness of preventative treatment.
The Bone Resorption Assessment is safe, simple, and non-invasive. Dr. Holec will give you a test kit, and you will send a urine sample to Genova Diagnostics, where it will be measured for the rate of current bone loss. The results will be sent to Dr. Holec, who will develop a plan to slow bone loss and rebuild bone. With early testing and treatment osteoporosis can be beaten!
Do you have a high risk for developing osteoporosis?
Genetic Factors
___ Are you female?
___ Are you over 50 years old?
___ Do you have fair skin and blond hair?
___ Are you thin or small boned?
___ Do you have a near relative (mother or sister) with osteoporosis?
Lifestyle factors
___ Are you physically inactive?
___ Do you smoke now or have smoked in the past?
___ Do you have a history of alcohol consumption?
___ Do you drink milk rarely or eat dairy products infrequently?
___ Do you eat fish, poultry, or beef at most meals?
___ Do you drink coffee, tea, or carbonated soft drinks daily?
Medical factors
___ Do you have a history of hip, spine or wrist fractures?
___ Do you have a history of early menopause? (naturally or surgically induced)
___ Have you missed menses longer than 4 months?
___ Do you use thyroid medication?
___ Do you often have heartburn or indigestion?
___ Are on estrogen replacement therapy?
Each question relates to bone loss. The more “yes” responses, the more important it is for you to seek assistance. If you answered “yes” to two or more questions, talk to Dr. Holec about a Bone Resorption Assessment from Genova Diagnostics.
How do you treat osteoporosis?
Depending on your risk level and amount of bone loss, there are several treatments you and Dr. Holec can discuss.
1) The proper diet plays a major role. You should eat foods rich in calcium, magnesium, and other minerals, and take a vitamin/mineral supplement if necessary. You should also restrict your consumption of carbonated soft drinks, caffeine, sugar, and salt to reduce calcium excretion.
2) Weight-bearing exercise also impacts bone loss. Dr. Holec can help you develop an exercise plan and recommend supplements to maintain and restore healthy bones.
3) Estrogen replacement therapy slow bone loss and reduces osteoporotic fractures. However, it can increase the risk of certain forms of cancer. Progesterone therapy can offset much of this risk and appears to increase bone mass by itself. Even testosterone therapy may be utilized to improve bone health.
4) For more serious cases of osteoporosis, medications such as Fosamax may be used.
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