Mercy Network
Mercy Family Clinic
For Her: Osteoporosis
More than 22 million American women are at risk for developing osteoporosis,* a disease that leaches minerals from your bones over the long term, leading to decreased bone strength and potentially to bone fractures and breaks.
By the age of 45, 20 percent of women may have osteoporosis and by age 65, 80 percent may have it.* Women are at higher risk for this disease, but men also can get it.
The prime time to take action to prevent osteoporosis is during your younger years. Your bones grow the most during your teen years and continue to increase in density until around age 35, when you hit your peak bone density. The greater your bone density, the less likely it is that you’ll develop osteoporosis as you age.
Prevention Methods
You may be familiar with the benefits of calcium for building strong bones, but there are additional steps you can take to help prevent osteoporosis.
- Take in about 1,200 mg of calcium a day. Calcium helps build bone density and strength. Although dairy is an excellent source of calcium, it is not the only source. Fortified orange juice, beans, salmon, green leafy vegetables and some dried fruits also contain calcium. If you are lactose intolerant, speak with your dietician to learn how to get adequate calcium.
- Increase vitamin D intake. Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium and deposits it in your bones. You can get Vitamin D through drinking fortified milk, eating liver, fish and egg yolks and exposing your skin to the sun for about 15 minutes a day. You also can take a daily supplement of 400 international units (IU).
- Eat magnesium-rich foods. Magnesium is important in building shock-absorbing bone matrix, so increase your intake of foods such as whole grains, legumes and certain leafy green vegetables or look for a vitamin supplement with magnesium.
- Drink alcohol in moderation. Consumption of more than two drinks a day may decrease bone formation and reduce your body’s ability to absorb calcium.
- Perform weight-bearing exercises. Regular weight-bearing exercise (e.g., walking, jogging, stair climbing and strength training) helps strengthen bones.
New Testing Technique
Because symptoms of osteoporosis don‘t appear until you’ve lost significant bone mass, you may want to discuss with your doctor your risk of developing osteoporosis and whether you should have your bone density tested. Until recently, all available tests used radiation. Now, doctors can use equipment that sends sound waves through your foot and painlessly bounce off the bone in your heel to get immediate results. While this “heel scan” test is not the most accurate way to detect problems with bone density, it is an easy and inexpensive screening method.
Future Protection
Starting early to build up your bones’ strength and density can help prevent osteoporosis. Don’t discontinue these good habits as you get older. Your bones always rebuild, no matter what your age.