Simple Ways To Avoid Brittle Bones
More than 25 million Americans suffer from or are at risk for osteoporosis, according to the National Institute of Health. Of this number, more than 300,000 are African-American Women.
What Is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis means a "porous" bone or bones that were once strong that have become brittle and are more likely to break. Everyday activities that were never given a second thought before, such as bending, lifting and walking, can cause a bone fracture with osteoporosis.
Bone is living tissue. Special cells called osteoclasts break down bone, replacing it with new tissue. As women age, bone is broken down faster than it is replaced. In women, the rate of bone loss speeds up after menopause when a woman's estrogen level is lower. Without estrogen, the osteoclasts are removed, resulting in bone loss and osteoporosis.
African American Women & Risk For Osteoporosis
Bone mass in African-American is higher than whites. Still, 80 to 95 percent of fractures in African-American women over 65 are due to osteoporosis. Although White and Asian women have the highest rate of osteoporosis, African-American women are more likely to die following a hip fracture.
Diseases more prevalent in the African-American community, such as lupus and sickle-cell anemia, are more linked to osteoporosis. Other general risk factors include:
* Too little exercise
*A diet low in calcium and Vitamin D
*A small, thin body frame (less than 127 pounds)
* Cigarette smoking
* Dementia
* Poor vision
* Family history of the disease
* History of an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia)
* Long-term use of oral steroids
* Alcohol abuse
Ways To Treat Osteoporosis
There is no cure for osteoporosis, however, "there are a number of medications to treat osteoporosis and help reduce the risk of fracture," says Dr. Dana Newswanger, a specialist in osteopathy at the National Naval medical Center in Bethesda, MD. "medications can help strengthen the bone and prevent bone loss once the patient has been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Some of the most common medications include estrogen replacement theraphy, calcitonin, alendronate, raloxifene, teriparitide and bisphosphonates."
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, building strong bones can be the best defense against developing osteoporosis, since bone density and strength are determined primarily in the first 30 years of life. The best excercises for strong bones are weight-bearing exercises. These include walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, aerobics, cycling, and gardening.
Getting daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D is also suggested. Before menopause, women between 19 and 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium per day. After menopause, women 51 and older need 1,200 mg of calcium a day.
How To Find Out If You Have It
The best way to know if you have osteoporosis is through a bone mineral density test to measure the strength of the bones. The procedure is done with a dual energy X-ray absorption scan-a painless, quick and safe test that passes low energy X-rays through the bones (such as the spine, hip and wrist.) If diagnosed with osteoporosis, it is best to talk to your doctor about ways to increase your bone health and about taking medication, if appropriate.
Sammie Ward is a fiction and nonfiction writer. Besides writing health articles, she is the author of over twenty short stories, a novella, and four novels.
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*The article apeared in the Fall issue of Family Digest Magzine in 2004* www.familydigest.com
(c) copyrighted 2004
