Osteoporosis
Table of Contents
- What is Osteoporosis?
- Symptoms
- How Osteoporosis is Treated
- How to Prevent Osteoporosis
- Exercise and Osteoporosis
- Diet and Osteoporosis
What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures, especially of the hip, spine, and wrist, although any bone can be affected.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation declares osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans, or 55 percent of the people 50 years of age and older. In the U.S., 10 million individuals are estimated to already have the disease and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis.
Of the 10 million Americans estimated to have osteoporosis, 8 million are women and 2 million are men. While osteoporosis is often thought of as an older person’s disease, it can strike at any age.
Symptoms
Osteoporosis is often called a “silent disease” because bone loss occurs without symptoms. People may not know that they have osteoporosis until their bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump, or fall causes a fracture or a vertebra to collapse. Collapsed vertebrae may initially be felt or seen in the form of severe back pain, loss of height, or spinal deformities such as kyphosis or stooped posture.
How Osteoporosis is Treated
Nearly half of all women over the age of 50 will suffer a fracture due to osteoporosis or osteopenia. Therefore it is crucial to take a proactive approach, prior to even being diagnosed.
Chiropractic care works on relieving symptoms and complications associated with osteoporosis. Nutritional counseling is also available to help reverse the effects. There are thousands of people taking calcium supplements that not only can’t be absorbed, but also are creating kidney stones. Cenk Chiropractic offers Ostera, Cal Apatite Forte and several other cutting edge calcium-specific supplements from Metagenics.
How to Prevent Osteoporosis
Type I osteoporosis (postmenopausal osteoporosis) can be significantly influenced by several preventative measures. Most of these measures are in the hands of the individual and should be started as early in life as possible.
An individual’s peak bone mass is typically achieved by the age of 30. The amount of bone that is obtained at one’s peak, and how much is retained thereafter, is influenced by several factors, including:
Exercise and Osteoporosis
Weight bearing exercise and muscle contraction combined have been shown to effectively increase bone density in the spine. It is recommended that an individual perform 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 to 4 times weekly to increase bone mass.
In a study by Dalsky in 1988, jogging, walking, or stair climbing at 70-90% of maximum effort three times per week, along with 1,500 mg of calcium per day, increased bone density of the lumbar (lower) spine by 5% over 9 months. Exercises in a pool have not been shown to increase bone density.
Diet and Osteoporosis
Adequate calcium intake is critical in keeping bones strong, and it is estimated that approximately 70% of people do not regularly ingest adequate amounts of calcium. Calcium can be found in many everyday foods. Examples of foods that contain calcium include: dairy products (e.g. milk, yogurt, cheese), dark green vegetables (e.g. spinach), grains, beans, and some fish.
Additionally, Cenk offers a number of premium calcium supplements.