Why is osteoporosis affecting younger and younger people? Bone injuries are a social problem [WE EXPLAIN]

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Osteoporosis is a disease that leads to bone loss and easy fractures. Although it is associated with a problem of elderly people and menopausal women, it can affect people of both sexes also at a younger age. What factors contribute to the development of osteoporosis? Can you protect yourself from it?

Osteoporosis as a social problem

Osteoporosis is a disease of civilization with a metabolic basis. Its distinguishing feature is reduced bone quality, leading to fractures due to blows or injuries, which should not have such a destructive effect on the skeletal system. This problem is best illustrated by severe fractures affecting the elderly following a theoretically harmless fall. Even stumbling along a straight path poses a risk of fracture to the femur, humerus and vertebral bodies.

Although osteoporosis is recognized as a social problem resulting from an increase in life expectancy, the disease affects younger and younger people. What does this state of affairs result from? First of all, from the increasing exposure to factors that increase the risk of developing this disease. It is, among others, o poor nutrition and lifestyle, as well as the impact of chronic diseases that may also have a social background (e.g. diabetes).

Osteoporosis affects younger and younger people

Problems with osteoporosis are the result of genetic, environmental, disease, and changes in bone tissue with age. The risk of osteoporosis increases over time, especially in perimenopausal women and in seniors over the age of 70. This is due to long-term exposure to negative factors, but it is not always necessary to wait so long for bones to weaken and to increase the susceptibility to fractures. Some cases of osteoporosis still have an unclear etiology – this applies to idiopathic osteoporosis, increasingly affecting adolescents or children.

Where does osteoporosis in children come from? Most often, abnormalities in the bone structure result from chronic diseases and eating disorders. This is pointed out by Dr. Maria Rell-Bakalarska, MD from the Rheuma Medicus Specialist Center for Rheumatology and Osteoporosis in Warsaw.

Bones change throughout life. The most dangerous are nutritional deficiencies during adolescence, during skeletal growth and building peak bone mass.

If bone mass does not peak at normal levels during the development of a young person, locomotor diseases are likely consequences. Down causes of osteoporosis in children also include:

1. Cushing’s syndrome and other endocrine diseases;
2. congenital fragility of bones;
3. juvenile idiopathic arthritis;
4. hypogonadism;
5. hyperparathyroidism;
6. other conditions that interfere with bone metabolism, e.g. diabetes mellitus, digestive disorders, kidney disease.

Anorexia in adolescents and young women (less common in males) also remains a serious issue. In their case, the eating disorder affects the condition of the bone tissue, and the consequences last for life.

It is also worth mentioning Fr. problems with the diagnosis of osteoporosis in younger people. Sometimes a fracture that is not as characteristic as the hip or spine may indicate the disease. This is what can be confusing in adolescents, as well as in people under 50, because even a broken foot may indicate osteoporotic changes. During diagnostics, doctors pay attention to the results of densinometry (bone density measurement), as well as to fractures that occur in people with osteopenia.

What influences the development of osteoporosis?

Basic risk factors for osteoporosis is advanced age, genetics and gender. The disease is even twice as common in women. This is due to the hormonal changes accompanying menopause affecting the entire body, as well as possible menstrual disorders at an earlier stage of life. In the case of men, it is more often observed secondary osteoporosis, i.e. caused by a specific agent such as drugs (e.g. steroids) or chronic health disorders (e.g. endocrine).

Bad habits such as smoking, alcohol and caffeine abuse, a sedentary lifestyle, and lack of physical activity also affect the likelihood of developing osteoporosis. The diet is equally important, especially the lack of calcium, protein and vitamin D. An improper menu has an extremely negative impact on the health and development of a young organism, i.e. in the period from childhood to the end of adolescence.

It should be remembered that increased bone fragility may also result from conditions other than osteoporosis. It is also caused by hyperparathyroidism, multiple myeloma and osteomalacia. Medications for certain chronic conditions, including corticosteroids, cancer treatments, anticoagulants and epilepsy medications are another risk factor.

Prevention of osteoporosis requires the implementation of appropriate measures as early as possible. Even pregnant women should ensure the supply of vitamin D and calcium so that the fetal skeleton develops properly. Properly balanced ingredients in the diet must also be continued after the baby is born. In addition to diet, exercise and taking care of the correct value of body mass indexes (percentile grid in children, BMI) are also important. People at risk should make every effort to identify osteoporosis as early as possible. This will allow you to implement appropriate preventive measures, avoid situations that overwhelm the locomotor system, and start treatment.

The consequences of fractures – cause for concern

While much is said about the reduced bone quality or bone mineral density resulting from osteoporosis, the consequences of the disease are less frequently mentioned. People suffering from osteoporosis risk serious fractures that are dangerous to health and life.

– Twice as many people a year die due to a fractured neck of the femur than in car accidents – says Dr. Maria Rell-Bakalarska.

High mortality associated with osteoporosis it mainly concerns hip fractures, but also vertebral fractures should not be forgotten. Even if this type of fracture does not end in death, it is associated with the patient’s immobility and it leads to complications such as circulatory failure, thrombosis, pneumonia and sepsis. You have to be aware that for many people a fracture in osteoporosis ends with a significant or partial disability. It means a significant difficulty in everyday functioning and dependence on family help.

Another issue regarding bone damage in osteoporosis relates to the severity of the disease. If the patient has a fracture, this indicates significant impairment of bone structures. The consequence of the first such damage is therefore a cascade of fractures. When it starts with a wrist or metatarsal fracture, it increases the likelihood of further, more dangerous injuries.

Treatment of osteoporosis requires the selection of appropriate pharmacological therapy, which the patient determines together with the doctor. The disease requires careful monitoring, and the goal of treatment is to prevent or prevent fractures. Compliance with medical recommendations gives people with osteoporosis a chance to function normally and reduce the risk of complications from the disease.

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