Directory Search
Osteoporosis
Overview:
Seven out of ten Australian women, and a significant number of Australian men, aren't getting enough calcium. Calcium deficiency leads to osteoporosis, a crippling disease in which the skeleton becomes weak and prone to fracture.
Signs and Symptoms:
Some people with osteoporosis have no symptoms, but others experience:
* Backache
* A gradual loss of height and a stooped back
* Fractures and breaks that occur easily
* Loss of bone in the jaw
* Complications include blood clots and pneumonia
Osteoporosis causes a person's bones to become thin and weak.
Causes and Organs Affected:
From about 35 years of age, bone structure changes and becomes less dense. This combines with other factors such as:
* Inadequate calcium intake over the course of your life
* Poor bone formation from childhood
* A reduction in the amount of calcium taken up into the bones after menopause caused by low oestrogen levels.
Some diseases, such as those affecting the parathyroid gland, also affect calcium levels and can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis.
Risk Factor:
A number of factors can increase the likelihood that you'll develop osteoporosis, including: Sex, Age, Race, Family History, Frame Size, Tobacco use, Lifetime exposure to estrogen, Eating disorders, Corticosteroid medications, Thyroid hormone, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, Other medications, Breast Cancer, Low calcium intake, Medical conditions and procedures that decrease calcium absorption, Sedentary lifestyle, Excess soda consumption, Chronic alcoholism and Depression.
Treatment:
To avoid osteoporosis it is important to be conscious of your calcium intake from an early age. Taking calcium supplements is recommended to reduce the likelihood of becoming osteoporotic in later life - make sure you maximise your calcium absorption by always using a calcium form that is easily absorbed (such as calcium phosphate, calcium citrate or calcium hydroxyapatite).
Other Information:
Ensure your diet contains enough calcium by including low-fat dairy products, broccoli, cauliflower, salmon, tofu, and leafy green vegetables. At the same time, avoid high protein foods such as red meats and most cereal grains which increase calcium excretion and bone loss. Excessive amounts of alcohol and caffeine should also be avoided for this reason.