Osteoporosis - Them bones, them porous bones!

As I begin reading about the various maladies of the aging body, I am fascinated to find that often many of the problems facing seniors could be prevented through early education and minor lifestyle changes. So often we wait until we present with symptoms of an illness or until an illness eventually receives media attention to begin our education, though there are many issues we need to concern ourselves with long before that time.

As the age-old idiom goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” With just a little research on our part and taking a proactive stance, we might avoid some hefty unnecessary down-time from the active lives of our long-awaited retirement years.

One of those preventable diseases that I speak of is osteoporosis. According to The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), it is estimated that there are 44 million Americans, that’s 55 percent of Americans over the age of 50, that have either low bone mass or are already diagnosed with osteoporosis. Of the 44 million, about 10 million already have the disease and another 34 million have developed low bone mass, which puts them at an increased risk of developing the disease in their future.

So just what is osteoporosis and why do we develop it? First, we need to understand that bone is a living tissue that is renewing itself constantly through a process called remodeling. Throughout our daily lives and with ordinary activities, microscopic cracks in the bones occur, which are then replenished with new bone-building cells. The disease osteoporosis occurs when more bone is removed than replaced.

Women and men can develop osteoporosis at any age; and of those affected by osteoporosis, 80 percent are women and another 20 percent are men. Women, especially Caucasian and Asian women who are postmenopausal, are especially at high risk for osteoporosis. And surprisingly, men over the age of 50 have a greater risk of suffering from a fracture due to this illness than they are for developing prostate cancer. Those with chronic illnesses such as asthma or arthritis that required them to take medications such as Prednisone are especially high at risk for this affliction.

About 90 percent of the people that suffer hip fractures have osteoporosis. This usually occurs in adults over the age of 70, but can also occur much earlier. Even with the successful treatment of a hip fracture by surgical means, complications from that surgery can result such as blood clots, pneumonia, or infections. Something that I found quite interesting and puts osteoporosis in a more serious light is that the mortality rate of a person having had a hip fracture jumps to 20 percent in the year following the fracture. (That is a 1 in 5 chance of death during the year following a hip fracture due to complications.) That is a rather scarry statistic. It should also be noted that other common fractures due to osteoporosis can occur, such as in the spine and the wrists.

Since there are no symptoms of osteoporosis, other than suffering a fracture, it is important that those concerned talk with their doctor about being tested. According to an article in Medizine’s Healthy Living, Dr. Watts recommends that women have the bone-density test, which is simple and painless, at the age of 65; men at the age of 70.

For preventative measures, getting the right amount of calcium and Vitamin D is crucial. Dairy products, leafy greens, vegetables, almonds, supplements, and adequate sunlight are all excellent sources of these vitamins. Using moderation with alcohol, carbonated soda, eliminating smoking, and remaining physically active are all helpful in the prevention of this disease.

There are also medications now available that can actually restore bone, according to the Medizine article. Dr. Watts states, “Medications can reduce the risk of fracture by about 50 percent, an effect which shows up about six months of taking them.” These are all things we can do to help maintain strong, healthy bones and to ensure an active lifestyle well into our golden years.