10 Osteoporosis Prevention Tips
Exercise, Vitamin D and Calcium Can Prevent Future Bone Loss
Sep 23, 2007
Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue leaving the bones susceptible to fractures. The prevention of osteoporosis is a life long process. The majority of bone mass is developed before the age of 30. After the age of about 30, bone thinning is a natural process that our bones go through.
The best treatment of osteoporosis is prevention. Following simple prevention tips may help to delay or avoid osteoporosis later in life.
1) Exercise and a Healthy Diet during Youth
Exercise and a well balanced diet during youth are crucial to reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Not eating enough foods high in calcium during youth lowers your peak bone mass later in life. The severity of osteoporosis depends on the thickness and the amount of bone mass the bones have early in life. It also depends on diet, lifestyle, activity and genetics. During the youth years, the bones build more bone than they absorb. It is crucial to start building bone mass early in life.
2) Physical Activity
Get regular exercise. Weight bearing exercises such as walking, jogging, jumping, stair climbing, push-ups, dancing and other forms of exercise that forces weight through the bones help to keep our bones dense and strong. Exercises such as lifting weights or carrying a weight while walking can also help build strong bones and muscles.
3) Adequate Calcium
A diet that includes adequate amounts of calcium. Calcium is essential for building strong bones and teeth.
The recommended daily amounts of calcium are:
- 50 and older 1200 mg per day
- 19-50 years old 1000 mg per day
- 9-18 years old 1300 mg per day
- 4-8 years old 800 mg per day
- 1-3 years old 500 mg per day
Clinical studies show that supplements containing calcium can reduce fracture rates by about 30 percent in people who do not get enough nutrients in their diet.
4) Adequate Vitamin D
A diet that includes adequate amounts of vitamin D.
Vitamin D is essential for the body to absorb calcium. A lack of vitamin D inhibits the body’s ability to absorb calcium from the food you eat.
The recommended daily amounts of vitamin D are:
- 19-50 5ug or (200iu)
- 51-70 10ug or (400iu)
- 71 and older 15ug or (600iu)
5) Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol can harm the cells that build the bones and reduce the amount of calcium in the body. Heavy drinking can also lower levels of estrogen and testosterone, which can accelerate bone loss.
6) Avoid Skipping Meals and Excessive Dieting
Excessive dieting can prevent the body from receiving nutrients the body needs to build strong bones and teeth. Women who lose excessive amounts of weight by skipping meals can also lose bone mass while dieting.
7) Avoid Smoking
People who smoke absorb less calcium then they take in.
Smoking can lower the levels of estrogen and testosterone which can accelerate bone loss. Smoking also interrupts the bone remodeling process, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis.
8) Medications
Talk with a physician if taking any of the current medications that can accelerate bone loss, especially if you are taking:
- Corticosteroid
- Drugs used to control seizures such as dilantin, carbatral or tegretol
- Thyroid medication
- Diuretics
- Heparin
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormones
9) Medical Conditions
Talk to a physician about medical conditions that can accelerate bone loss, especially if you have:
- Hypogonadism
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Cushing's disease
- Type 1 diabetes
- Crohn's disease
- Celiac disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Amenorrhea
- Liver disease
Some medical conditions can directly affect bone loss or sometimes medications given for certain medical conditions can accelerate bone loss.
10) Be Smart
Know the risk factors of osteoporosis. Talk with a physician about bone density testing, vitamins, exercise and osteoporosis symptoms.
Osteoporosis prevention is the best treatment for osteoporosis. It is essential to eat a diet high in calcium and vitamin D, perform weight bearing exercises and take an osteoporosis risk assessment test.
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