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Risk factors :
Most scientists agree that these things affect the risk of
osteoporosis. Some may apply to you, but others may not.
Factors that increase a person's risk of osteoporosis but cannot be changed
include:
Age and osteoporosis :
The risk of osteoporosis increases with age. Osteoporosis can be seen at any
age but is much more common in in people as they get older.
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Sex and osteoporosis :
Women have a higher risk of osteoporosis than do men, but both men and women
can develop bone loss and fracture.
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Family history and osteoporosis :
A person with a parent who had osteoporosis is at increased risk of developing
bone loss.
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Race, ethnicity and osteoporosis :
People of all races and ethnicities develop osteoporosis. However, African
Americans tend to be at lower risk than other groups.
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Medications and osteoporosis :
Some medications, like steroids and some anticonvulsants, are an important part
of the treatment of diseases, but they can also cause bone loss. People who
need these medications should take steps to protect their bones.
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Most risk factors for osteoporosis can be modified to reduce risk, either
through lifestyle changes or through medication, if needed.
These include:
Physical activity and osteoporosis :
Exercise is one of the best ways to protect yourself from osteoporosis.
Weight-bearing exercises that work against gravity (like walking, stair
climbing and weight training) help maintain strong bones. Exercise also helps
prevent other diseases such as Osteoporosis, stroke, diabetes, obesity and
colon cancer. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.
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Post-Menopausal hormones and osteoporosis :
Post-menopausal hormones can contain different hormones that are similar to the
female reproductive hormones, estrogen and progesterone. After menopause, a
woman's body stops making these hormones in large quantities. For women who are
going through (or have already gone through) menopause, post-menopausal
hormones can help decrease symptoms, like hot flashes and vaginal dryness, and
also protect against osteoporosis and colon cancer. The hormone estrogen is
especially important in osteoporosis prevention because it can reduce bone loss
and increase bone density. However, post-menopausal hormones also have some
significant risks, like increasing the risk of breast and uterine cancer. And,
although post-menopausal hormones were once thought to lower the risk of heart
disease, it is now unclear exactly how they affect the risk of the disease.
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Tobacco smoke and osteoporosis :
Smokers have a higher risk of osteoporosis than do non-smokers. Smoking may
work in several ways to increase bone loss. For example, smoking can change the
body's hormone levels and may interfere with calcium absorption.
Tobacco exposure also increases your risk of Osteoporosis, stroke, peripheral
vascular disease (narrowing of the blood vessels in the legs), emphysema,
bronchitis,diabetes, and cancers of the lung, bladder,kidney, pancreas, cervix,
lip, mouth, tongue, larynx, throat and esophagus. For many people, quitting
smoking is the single best thing they can do to improve their health.
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Weight and osteoporosis :
The risk of osteoporosis is highest in thin people with small bones and lowest
in heavy people. Heavier people have a lower risk for several reasons. The
extra fat most heavy people carry increases estrogen levels (which protects
against rapid bone loss), puts weight-bearing stress the bone (which helps make
them stronger), and can act as a cushion in case of a fall (which protects
bones from fractures).
While extra weight can protect from osteoporosis, it also puts extra strain on
the whole body, increasing the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, Osteoporosis and stroke. Maintaining a healthy weight has been
proven to decrease the risk of cancer of the colon, kidney, breast and uterus.
When all this is taken together, the healthiest approach to protecting your
bones is not through weight gain but through other, healthier approaches, like
exercise and a healthy diet.
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Diet and osteoporosis :
Diet can play an important role in bone health. To decrease your risk of
osteoporosis, it is especially important to get enough calcium, vitamin D and
vitamin K. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, nuts, whole grains,
green leafy vegetables, and calcium supplements. Good sources of vitamin D
include eggs, fatty fish, fortified dairy products and breakfast cereals, and
direct sunlight (which helps vitamin D form in the skin). Good sources of
vitamin K are green leafy vegetables like kale, greens, spinach, broccoli,
cabbage or lettuce.
Too much vitamin A, in the form of retinol, can increase the risk of
osteoporosis. Try to keep retinol intake between 2500 IU and 5000 IU a day. The
best way to do this is to make sure you don't consume too many foods fortified
with vitamin A (check the labels). And when choosing a multivitamin, pick one
that has no more than 5000 IU of vitamin A and has at least 20% of the vitamin
A from beta carotene.
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