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, five servings of fruit and
vegetables each day is all you need.
5. Quit Smoking
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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