cause of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is frequently referred to as brittle bone disease, which simply means that you have thin bones. It is not typically a painful condition however pain is frequently experienced only when you break an infected bone.

Given osteoporosis has no visible symptoms and doesn't present any pain it is more than feasible that you could have this brittle bone disease without knowing it. In the vast majority of cases individuals only discover they have the condition following a relatively minor fall resulting in a spell in hospital with a broken bone.

The condition is typically diagnosed using a special scan called the dexa scan. This type of scan is most effective given ordinary x-rays will not reveal signs of osteoporosis until such time as the disease is in its very advanced stage.

There are several groups of individuals who are a risk of contracting osteoporosis and these factors can include;

1. Being a smoker
2. Taking no weight bearing exercise
3. A family history of osteoporosis
4. Being Caucasian or Asian
5. Experiencing an early menopause
6. Excessive alcohol consumption
7. Taking steroid medication
8. Disproportionate weight to height
9. The removal of your ovaries
10. The cessation of periods of six months or more (excluding pregnancy)

There are in addition to this several medical conditions which make individuals more susceptible to osteoporosis. These include rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease and any other condition which affects the ability of the body to absorb nutrients such as calcium which are of course essential for your healthy bones.

To help prevent osteoporosis ensure that you eat a rich diet full of calcium and undertake regular weight bearing exercise such as walking, dancing and jogging. Also try to maintain a healthy body weight and if you smoke, consider giving up now. Not to the level of excessive drinking, to avoid interference with the gas drinks to give them the conditions for the body to absorb calcium.

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cause of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. Osteoporosis often was thought to be a condition that frail elderly women develop. Osteoporosis leads to literally abnormally porous bone that is more compressible like a sponge, than dense like a brick. This disorder of the skeleton weakens the bone leading to an increase in the risk of breaking bones (bone fracture). A broken bone can really affect a woman's life. It can cause disability, pain, or loss of independence. It can make it harder to do daily activities without help, such as walking. If you have osteoporosis, you have an increased risk for fractured bones (broken bones), particularly in the hip, spine, and wrist. In most cases, bones weaken when you have low levels of calcium, phosphorus and other minerals in your bones. The process of bone remodelling from resorption to matrix synthesis to mineralization normally takes about 8 months--a slow but constant process. The disease is "silent" because there are no symptoms when you have osteoporosis, and the condition may come to attention only after you break a bone. Osteoporosis can also accompany endocrine disorders or result from excessive use of drugs such as corticosteroids.

Osteoporosis can cause a person to stoop forward and appear to have a hump on his or her spine. The most serious and debilitating osteoporotic fracture is the hip fracture. The goal of treating osteoporosis is to prevent such fractures in the first place. People with osteoporosis most often break bones in the hip, spine, and wrist. Most hip fracture patients who previously lived independently will require help from their family or home care. In the United States, nearly 10 million people already have osteoporosis. Another 18 million people have low bone mass that places them at an increased risk for developing osteoporosis. Any bone can be affected, but of special concern are fractures of the hip and spine. One out of every two women and one in four men over age 50 will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis. A hip fracture almost always requires hospitalization and major surgery. Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen, and calcium. Bone affected by osteoporosis can fracture with only a minor fall or injury that usually do not cause bone fracture.

Causes of Osteoporosis

The common causes and risk factor's of Osteoporosis include the following:

Family history of osteoporosis.

Smoking.

Anorexia nervosa.

Lack of exercise or long-term bed rest can cause weak bones.

Small, thin women are at greater risk.

Certain medications eg steroids.

Drinking alcohol.

Lack of dietary calcium.

Inactive lifestyle.

Low testosterone levels in men.

Longer postmenopausal interval.

Symptoms of Osteoporosis

Some sign and symptoms related to Osteoporosis are as follows:

Back pain, which can be severe if you have a fractured or collapsed vertebra.

Broken bones.

Loss of height over time, with an accompanying stooped posture.

Dull pain in the bones or muscles.

Neck pain.

Treatment of Osteoporosis

Here is list of the methods for treating Osteoporosis:

A balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D.

Alendronate (Fosamax®): This drug belongs to a class of drugs called biophosphonates and is approved for both prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Exercise.

You may need quite strong pain killers (analgesics), for quite some time, in the event of an osteoporotic fracture.

A healthy lifestyle.

Biphosphonates: This type of medication is used to arrest the progress of osteoporosis and even reverse it. They encourage the laying down of calcium in the bones. One of these is also used when people have to be on long term steroids.

Calcitonin is another medication used to decrease bone loss.

Sodium fluoride can increase the measured bone density in vertebra, but seems to have no overall effectiveness in reducing vertebral fracture.

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cause of osteoporosis

A hot cup of coffee may sound like a great way to start the day. But if you consume too much, you could end up with osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis or porous bones is a silent disease and one of the most common disorders of postmenopausal women. It affects almost one-third of all women over 50 and is a major cause of fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist. Bones become thin and brittle because of lack of calcium that is controlled by the female hormone estrogen. As estrogen levels drop following menopause, the bones break easily, leading to painful, crippling and sometimes fatal injuries.

"To someone with this condition, a strong cough can fracture a rib, lifting a heavy object (such as grandson), or bump into a car can crack a bone in the spine - that's the energetic dancing. Osteoporotic bones also fracture spontaneously, for no apparent reason. When they do so in the spinal column, it collapses, leaving the affected woman with the familiar 'dowager's hump' and considerably shorter," according to Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld of the New York Hospital in "Doctor, What Should I Eat?"

The best way to get calcium is to drink a lot of milk and eat calcium-rich foods like cheddar or mozzarella cheese, salmon, sardines, tofu, and yogurt. Another helpful strategy is to avoid substances that rob calcium from your body. These calcium robbers include coffee and alcohol.

Coffee, cola, and tea are bad for your bones because they contain caffeine that promotes the excretion of calcium through the urine. At risk are those who drink more than two cups of brewed coffee or four cups of brewed tea a day. The calories from cola drinks can also make you fat and put extra strain on your bones. Another bad habit is smoking since nicotine interferes with calcium absorption. Those who smoke have lower bone mass.

Weight-bearing exercises can strengthen your bones and protect you from osteoporosis. Jumping and hopping in particular can help create healthy bones. To keep fit, take Phenocal, a safe, natural, and effective weight loss supplement that boosts your metabolism, suppresses your appetite, reduces food cravings, and increases energy levels to give you the body you want. Visit http://www.phenocal.com for details.

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cause of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and loss of bone tissue that may lead to weak and fragile bones. Osteoporosis is not impossible to build strong bones, but a premature degeneration of the bones.

Calcium is required to support bone growth, bone healing and maintain bone strength and is one aspect of treatment for osteoporosis. Good sources of calcium include milk and dairy products, such as hard cheese and yogurt, dried apricots or figs and some green leafy vegetables such as watercress and curly kale.

So although calcium is important in maintaining healthy bones, excessive calcium intake may actually cause greater bone porosity and fractures. Excess calcium gets deposited in soft tissues of bones and thus leads to development osteoarthritis or osteoporosis.

One of the most interesting sets of studies was done at Harvard University for 12 long years. The studies found who drank milk three times a day actually broke more bones than women who rarely drank milk. Similarly, a 1994 study in Sydney, Australia, showed that higher dairy product consumption was associated with increased fracture risk: those with the highest dairy consumption had double the risk of hip fracture compared to those with the lowest consumption.

For example, In Japan dairy as part of the diet was almost non-existent until recently. And only now are the rates of osteoporosis among women increasing. In China has shown similar results. In that country, osteoporosis is still very uncommon, even though dairy products are not a part of the diet of most Chinese people.

Milk and calcium are important for bone density, especially if they are not breastfeeding. If you do choose to eliminate milk from your diet as an adult, make sure you replace the vitamins and nutrients it provides with other healthy sources.

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cause of osteoporosis

Good old milk, it has been used for human consumption for thousands of years now . Around the world, people drink milk. From Asia to Africa, from Europe to South America, people around the world drink milk. But it does not stop there, even if cow's milk is the most popular of all milks, other people of the world drink the milk of goats ,camels, llamas, reindeer, sheep and the water buffalo.

Milk also comes in many varieties. There is raw milk which has not been pasteurized, whole milk that comes from cows, low-fat milk, nonfat or skim milk, buttermilk, low-sodium milk, lactose-reduced low-fat milk and ultra pasteurized milk.

But there are now new studies that are coming out about calcium supplements and pasteurized milk. Known for being among top calcium sources of the body, they are now accused of causing osteoporosis. Will we look at milk differently from now on? Can we handle the truth about milk an calcium supplements?

Osteoporosis is not a calcium deficiency disease. The fact prove these. The United States is among the countries that have the highest rates of osteoporosis in the world, yet, it is also the highest consumers of dairy products such as milk. It is even recognized that American calcium deficiency. Then, how can this be? If she is one of the highest consumers of milk?

Americans are ingesting the wrong kind of calcium. They are consuming a lot of dairy pasteurized dairy products that they end up losing more calcium. They end up having a negative calcium balance. The facts prove these, there are now more women being killed by osteoporosis every year than cancer of the breast, cervix and uterus combined. There are now 25 million Americans that are being diagnosed with osteoporosis. And that is not even counting the undiagnosed.

20% of bone mass is being replaced by the body each year but with osteoporosis, there are more bones lost than being replaced. It is not only pasteurized milk that contributes to causing osteoporosis. Calcium leaching foods also bring damage. Calcium leaching foods like red meat, refined sugar, highly heated salt, inorganic phosphorous and caffeine. Diet low in fresh fruits and vegetables, not enough exercise also bring damage. All of these add up to bone loss, all of these factors add up to bring osteoporosis.

Red meat contain large amounts of phosphorous. Phosphorous inhibits calcium absorption.

White sugar brings too much acid formation in the body. Acid formation that needs calcium to buffer the acidification of the body. Calcium that is taken from the bones .Calcium that once taken from the bones leads to bone loss.

Soft drinks contain phosphoric acid that also contributes to osteoporosis.

Smoking, caffeine, alcohol and lack of exercise. All of these intensify osteoporosis.

Be careful of what you eat. It is your health on the line.

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cause of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition that affections thousands of people each year. It is a disease that affects the bone, making it less strong and more succeptible to fractures. Many become surprised when they discover that they have osteoporosis, and may wonder why they came down with the disease. There are a few reasons that someone comes gets osteoporosis, and a number of risk factors that show that you may be at risk for having osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis occurs when there is an imbalance between the formation of new bones and your body absorbing the old bones. If your body is not producing enough new bone, you will have osteoporosis. If your body is not absorbing the old bones fast enough, you will have osteoporosis. When we are young, our body uses calcium and phosphate in order to create new, strong bones. As you get older, your body may begin to stop absorbing calcium and phosphate the way it needs to.

Women tend to get osteoporosis more than men do because of menopause. Even with women through menopause, their estrogen levels dramatically decrease the risk of osteoporosis increases. This is one reason that women should take calcium supplements when they start going through menopause. Other people that are at risk for osteoporosis include people who have eating disorders, like anorexic or bulimia. These disorders don't allow for the proper amount of calcium and phosphate to enter the body with the diet, which means that the bones become brittle over time.

To discover if you are at risk for osteoporosis, ask your doctor if it makes sense for you to have a bone mineral density scan. A bone mineral density scan can discover how healthy your bones are and if you are at risk from having osteoporosis.

Causes of Osteoporosis

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cause of osteoporosis

When I saw the headlines, "Chocolate Causes Osteoporosis" I knew I was in trouble. As expected I came into the office to tons of emails from chocolate lovers everywhere who wanted to know if their love affair with their creamy sweetie was at an end. It especially hit home when my own mother told me that she was giving up her occasional chocolate square because she read the news that her bones were damned if she didn't cease consuming chocolate entirely.

So what is the deal?

In a recent study, scientists evaluated the food diaries of over one thousand senior women (ages 70-85). After evaluating the records and comparing a number of variables to bone density it was discovered that women who ate chocolate one time or more daily had weaker bones than those who ate it less than once a week. In fact the group who ate chocolate daily had bone densities that were 3.1% lower than their counterparts who ate chocolate less than once per week.

Thus the headlines... Chocolate Causes Osteoporosis.

So does chocolate cause osteoporosis? Not likely. This study is considered preliminary research because it does not show cause and effect. Although statistics show a correlation between chocolate and bone loss, there are too many other factors (perhaps thousands) that could account for the results that eats chocolate with lower bone mineral density. For instance, is it possible that people who eat chocolate daily take less care of themselves compared to people who eat it once a week? In my book, daily chocolate consumption suggests either a lack of health knowledge or a disregard for health and fitness. Is it then feasible that the group who eats chocolate daily also eats other acidic foods, sugary foods, drinks more sodas, exercises less, etc?

Of Course! This study falls into a class of research called observational or epidemiological research which is considered the weakest form of study. This type of research commonly acts as the launching board for more expensive and involved double blind research. In the case of chocolate, I doubt we will see this type of research completed.

Is it possible that these findings are accurate? Is it possible that there is some compound in chocolate that causes bone loss? As a scientist, I must concede the possibility, however, it is highly unlikely! Should we eat chocolate daily? Of course not, at least not in quantity, but should my dear mother, who eats well, takes her supplements, goes to her daily "Guts and Butts" exercise class avoid her chocolate square once or twice a week...No! She is 72 years old and deserves to enjoy her chocolate square and it is unfortunate that many people will likely fall prey to this ploy to sell newspapers.

Dr. Ray Hinish received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and has been studying natural approaches to health for over a decade. He has achieved certifications in nutrition and is currently certified as a personal trainer. He authored the eBook, Strong Bones Forever, which is a guide to curing osteoporosis using only natural means. He currently practices at Your Prescription for Health in Owings Mills, Maryland.

http://www.strongbonesforever.com

cause of osteoporosis