Older Than 50? Here's How You Can Keep Your Bones Healthy!
Around 8 million women in America have
osteoporosis, and an estimated 30 million more may get this disease,
which can cause bones to break due to something as harmless as a sneeze
or cough. Thankfully, there are ways to prevent additional bone density
loss as you get older. Below, you’ll find 7 of them:
1. Know where you stand
If you’re not sure where you stand on the
bone-strength scale, head to your doctor’s office for a couple of
helpful tests.
One such test is the software program FRAX (Fracture Risk Assessment
Tool), which was developed by the World Health Organization to help your
physician calculate your probable osteoporosis risk over the next
decade. It does this by assessing your lifestyle, health, risk factors,
and genetic history.
However, the most accurate test is the bone-density test, also known as a
dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan, which you should get when
you reach menopause. During this simple and noninvasive test, the
patient lies on a padded cushion as the screening device beams low-dose
X-rays onto the hips and spine to measure bone-mineral density.
The patient will then get a “T score” that compares her bone density
with women in their 30s, when bone strength is at its highest. A T score
of +1.0 to -1 indicates normal bone-mineral density, a score of -1 to
-2.5 indicates osteopenia, a condition in which bones are less dense
than normal, and a score of -2.5 indicates osteoporosis.
2. Bone up With Calcium
Your bones store up to 99% of the calcium
that your body needs for every function, including blood clotting, and
muscle and nerve function. Women can lose up to 20% of their bone
density during the 5-7 years after menopause due to a decrease in
estrogen.
How this hormone strengthens bones isn’t entirely clear, but a study
carried out by the University of Buffalo in 2007 found that it may
maintain bone density by preventing an enzyme called caspase-3 from
triggering the death of osteoblasts, cells that help grow new bone and
teeth.
Therefore, this is why women over the age of 50 should get about 1,200
milligrams of calcium a day. Your best sources of calcium include
low-fat and fat-free dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and
ice cream.
However, it’s important that you don’t overdo it as too much calcium –
more than 2,500 mg for adults 19-50, or more than 2,000 mg if you’re
over 51 – can lead to constipation, kidney stones, and it can interfere
with the body’s ability to absorb essential minerals such as iron and
zinc.
3. Get More Vitamin D
If women don’t get enough vitamin D, they
could lose up to 4% of their skeletal mass every year. This is why it’s
vital to increase vitamin D intake. It helps to maintain calcium levels
in the bones and aids in absorption.
You can get vitamin d from leafy greens and fortified dairy products,
but the major source is sunlight, which triggers the production of this
vitamin in your skin. Therefore, if you live in a cloudy climate, you’ll
probably need to take some vitamin D supplements.
Many doctors believe that women over the age of 50 need 2,000-3,000
international units of vitamin D per day.
4. Eat Your Veggies
Fruit and vegetables have high levels of nutrients essential for
skeletal health, such as magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K, and
several B vitamins.
Magnesium helps cells to absorb calcium, vitamins C and K regulate the
enzymes responsible for strengthening bone, and B vitamins help cells to
regenerate.
According to a study carried out at the Clinical Research and Regional
Bone Centers at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw, New York, five
servings of fruit and vegetables each day is all you need.
5. Kick Butts
According to a study which was carried out on 4,332 women at the
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo in 2007, Smoking leads to bone loss
and fractures in women older than 40.
Nicotine has toxic effects on bone-forming cells and lowers estrogen
levels, which reduces bone density and leads to earlier menopause.
6. Drink Moderately
If you drank a lot of alcohol during your
teenage years, you may have irreversible skeletal damage and a greater
risk of future fractures and osteoporosis.
When researchers exposed adolescent rats to the human equivalent of
binge drinking (four drinks on one occasion) thee days in a row, more
than 300 genes responsible for bone formation and bone-mass maintenance
were disrupted. This damage was long lasting too.
However, according to a 2009 study published in The American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition, moderately drinking 1-2 glasses of wine a day can
actually protect bones, especially if you’re postmenopausal. Researchers
theorize that moderate drinking may affect estrogen concentrations or
suppress bone breakdown to release minerals used in the rest of the
body.
7. You Really can be Too Thin
Having a little extra paddle can help to protect your bones as a low
body weight often goes hand in hand with low bone mass and an increased
risk of fractures. In fact, a 10% weight loss results in up to 2% bone
loss.
Fat is associated with bone-building hormones, such as estrogen, and
when you lose weight, circulating estrogen starts to decrease.
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