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October 20 is World Osteoporosis Day. On this occasion, there are many campaigns and publications in the media to promote the prevention of this disease. Why is it so important?
Firstly, due to the increasing morbidity. The prevalence of the disease is so great that osteoporosis has been recognized as a civilization disease by the WHO. Secondly, due to the specificity of the disease, which is osteoporosis. It is often referred to as “the silent thief of bones” because the disease usually develops without obvious symptoms. It is often diagnosed only with serious fractures. It is one of the main causes of disability in old age. Is it possible to escape the disease? How to do it? Can osteoporosis be cured?
Osteoporosis risk factors?
Osteoporosis, or bone thinning, is a chronic metabolic disease with gradual loss of bone mass. As the disease develops in secret with no visible signs, it is usually diagnosed at regular check-ups, or worse, only at the first fracture.
The incidence statistics are not optimistic. According to the latest data, this disease affects as many as 200 million people around the world. Approximately 2,8 million people in Poland suffer from it, of which half of the cases occur in people over 75 years of age. It must be emphasized that researchers predict a significant increase in falling ill after the Covid -19 pandemic. Why?
Statistics show that as many as 8 (out of 10) patients treated for osteoporosis discontinued treatment. It is related to the introduced restrictions, the closure of the clinic, the replacement of a significant part of the clinic visits into telephone consultations. As a result of this phenomenon, the percentage of osteoporotic fractures increased significantly. This trend is expected to continue long after the pandemic has ended.
Osteoporosis risk factors
There are many risk factors for the development of osteoporosis, but the most common of them include:
- prolonged immobilization or lack of exercise,
- hormonal problems,
- genetic factors,
- smoking and alcohol abuse,
- a diet low in dairy products,
- advanced age,
- overweight and obesity,
- cystic fibrosis (a disorder of chloride ion transport),
- vitamin D3 deficiency,
- thyroid disease,
- liver impairment,
- articular degeneration.
People over 70, as well as women aged 45+ in the menopausal period, are particularly vulnerable to osteoporosis. How is menopause related to osteoporosis? The woman’s hormonal balance is to blame for everything. The female sex hormones – estrogens are responsible for the onset of menopause. They are responsible for many different functions, including the regulation of the menstrual cycle, the production of hyaluronic acid and collagen, and calcium management. Estrogens stimulate bone and cartilage growth and increase the deposition of calcium in the bones, preventing the development of osteoporosis.
As a result of the gradual slowing down of sexual function, the amount of estrogen drops sharply. The amount of calcium deposited in the bones also decreases, and with it, the mass of bone tissue decreases.
Does osteoporosis hurt? Symptoms of osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a very insidious disease that cannot be diagnosed based solely on symptoms. Many patients report pain in the joints or some parts of the spine to their doctor that has nothing to do with the disease. Nevertheless, pain symptoms are undoubtedly information that overload has occurred.
Other disturbing symptoms of the disease are also:
- stooped silhouette,
- decrease in height,
- frequent non-collapse fractures appearing in the same locations.
In the vast majority of cases, the diagnosis of osteoporosis is obtained after taking an X-ray of a fractured bone. The structures that are most exposed to demineralization are: the thoracolumbar spine, the distal parts of the radius and the neck of the femur.
Five steps to prevent the development of osteoporosis
REMEMBER! The most effective way to treat osteoporosis is through prophylaxis.
A diet rich in dairy products
Adequate nutrition is the key to the prevention of many diseases, not only osteoporosis. In order to avoid dynamic demineralization of bone structures, the daily diet should be enriched with products containing well-absorbed calcium. This is of great importance because the absorption rate of this element decreases significantly with age. Natural sources of calcium are eggs, milk, kefirs, buttermilk, natural yoghurts (preferably without added sugar) and cottage cheese. It is worth remembering that dairy products should not be additionally salted, because salt reduces calcium absorption (it is then largely excreted in the urine). Vegetarian sources of calcium are also, inter alia, Chinese cabbage, white beans, tofu, vegetable milk, kale, broccoli, almonds and dried figs.
In the case of calcium supplementation, it should be supplied to the body in combination with vitamin K and D3. Otherwise, instead of reaching the bones, calcium builds up in the blood vessels causing them to calcify (calcify), increasing the risk of serious cardiovascular disease including atherosclerosis and heart attack. This phenomenon is medically referred to as the “calcium paradox”. Calcium supplied in the diet or supplementation together with vitamins K and D guarantees that it reaches the bones directly.
Physical activity
Despite the banal overtones, the truism “exercise is health” is one of the most important commandments in the prevention of osteoporosis. Daily physical activity helps to increase bone mass, strengthens the skeletal system and allows you to maintain a correct posture. Most importantly, it’s never too late.
Therefore, it is so important to implement exercises as early as possible in your life. Seniors should also include them in their daily schedule. It is worth taking into account such forms of movement as: walking in the forest, cycling, swimming or brisk walking with poles.
Adequate supplementation
One of the factors that can prevent the development of osteoporosis is proper supplementation. Vitamin K2, Calcium and Vitamin D3 are of key importance, all present in Calcikinone. Vitamins D3 and K2 regulate the calcium metabolism. Moreover, all these compounds contribute to the maintenance of normal bone density and its resistance to injuries. Appropriate supplementation protects not only against osteoporosis, but also against atherosclerosis and heart disease. Research results showed that people who had high vitamin K2 levels were down 14 percent. less likely to be hospitalized for cardiovascular diseases than those who were deficient in this compound. What’s more, it also concerned as much as 34 percent. patients with peripheral arterial disease.
Diet alone may not cover the daily requirements for these compounds. Large vitamin D3 deficits have been observed in our population for many years, especially in the fall and winter season, when exposure to solar radiation is very low. Its level, like vitamin K and calcium, decreases with age. Therefore, proper supplementation is a strong support both in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Regular checkups
In general, we should remember about regular checkups. We check the composition of our blood, glucose and cholesterol levels at least once a year, and visit the dentist and ophthalmologist. However, we think less often about checking the content of calcium, vitamin K and D3 in the serum. Measuring a single compound may not give you the complete picture, so it’s important to verify all of them. People over 50 should also go to densitometric tests, which inform the patient and the doctor about the bone mineral density.
Avoiding stimulants
Addictions are contrary to a healthy lifestyle. Both long-term cigarette smoking and alcohol or drug abuse negatively affect the condition of the entire body, including the skeletal system. Scientific research has shown that these stimulants stimulate the synthesis of osteoclasts, i.e. bone-forming cells.