An oz. of prevention is value a pound of treatment. It’s a cliché for a purpose, however sadly, within the realm of ladies’s healthcare, it nonetheless hasn’t fairly sunk in. Dr. Mary Claire Haver, writer of The New Menopause, emphasised the significance of osteoporosis prevention on Instagram following her 87-year-old mom’s complete hip substitute within the wake of a dementia-induced fall.

“I 100% assure you, she by no means as soon as considered ‘How can I stop osteoporosis or how can I not fracture?’” mentioned Haver. “I’m completely shocked by the lack of awareness round prevention for ailments particular to girls.”

Prevention is all of the extra essential in the case of osteoporosis particularly, in response to Dr. Navya Mysore, Medical Director of Ladies’s Well being at Nurx, a number one girls’s healthcare firm. By the point folks understand they’ve the illness, it’s usually too late.

“One of many greatest misconceptions about osteoporosis is which you can depend on signs to let you know in case your bones are weak,” she says. “Many individuals suppose that in the event that they aren’t experiencing ache or fractures, their bones are superb. In actuality, osteoporosis usually progresses with none indicators, so by the point a fracture occurs, bone loss will be fairly superior.”

Can Osteoporosis Be Reversed?

Catching it early is all of the extra important seeing as, whereas the illness will be managed and even slowed, there isn’t a treatment. “Osteoporosis isn’t absolutely reversible,” says Mysore, “that means you possibly can’t utterly restore the bone density to what it was earlier than.”

Dr. Holly Ingraham, PhD, a professor of mobile molecular pharmacology at UCSF, agrees. Whereas she lately led a promising analysis undertaking on mice that appeared to point the potential for capitalizing on the bone constructing skill of a maternal hormone current in breastfeeding girls, “new therapies are wanted to enhance bone formation after you’ve had bone loss,¹” she mentioned. 

In her Instagram put up, Haver known as above all for her mom’s journey to serve for instance. “It’s not too late for us,” she wrote in her caption. “This lack of schooling is costing us far an excessive amount of, and it’s my struggle to vary that.”

Within the spirit of Dr. Haver’s name for consciousness, right here are some things to find out about stopping osteoporosis.

What Is Osteoporosis?

Over the course of our lives, bone breaks down and rebuilds itself always. Osteoporosis is a situation through which bone matter isn’t changed on the similar fee at which it’s damaged down. 

This causes the bones to grow to be weak and brittle, to the purpose the place one thing as gentle as a cough can result in breakage, usually within the hips, wrists, or backbone². Based on Ingraham, research have proven that victims normally break bones of their fingers and toes first, adopted by lengthy bones, adopted by the hips.

The Osteoporosis Downward Spiral

“Once you break your hip, that’s if you’re actually going to be in hassle,” says Ingraham.

Osteoporosis can even have an effect on high quality of life in different methods, in response to Mysore. “For instance, vertebral fractures (within the backbone) are frequent in osteoporosis and may result in peak loss, backbone deformities, and power ache,” she says. “These fractures might not at all times be apparent, however they’ll impression posture and mobility.”

Breaks and fractures additionally impression the danger of early loss of life, in response to Ingraham. “When you begin breaking bones, your morbidity goes up, and your high quality of life goes down,” she says. An elevated threat of breakage might problem one’s skill or willingness to interact in actions like mountaineering or biking. This, she says, results in “a decline in high quality of life that then turns into a bit of bit like a downward spiral.”

“In case you’re afraid to exit and do issues since you’re afraid to interrupt your bones,” she says, “you then’re not utilizing your bones, and your skeletal system.” And this lack of use might improve the danger of breaks, turning it right into a little bit of a vicious cycle.

What Are the Danger Elements for Osteoporosis?

Greater than 200 million folks world wide have osteoporosis³. Whereas the illness can have an effect on anybody, the danger of growing osteoporosis will increase with age, one thing Ingraham notes means extra persons are dwelling with the illness than ever earlier than.

“Bone loss is one thing that we’re confronting as our inhabitants ages, as a result of we’re dwelling longer,” she says. Those that have a household historical past of osteoporosis usually tend to develop it themselves, in response to Mysore, and sadly, there’s nothing one can do about genetics. However there are some way of life selections that may scale back the chance.

“Small, skinny people, these with poor diets (low in calcium and vitamin D), those that lack train and people who smoke or drink excessively are at elevated threat,” explains Mysore, who additionally cites sure medicines, like corticosteroids, anticonvulsants, or sure most cancers therapies, as potential threat components. 

Certainly, a 2022 analysis evaluation within the Worldwide Journal of Molecular Sciences famous that glucocorticoids, which the researchers categorized as “probably the most broadly used anti-inflammatory drug world wide,” contribute “substantial” threat of osteoporosis, particularly throughout the first six months of use⁴. However maybe the largest threat issue? Being a lady.

The Hyperlink Between Hormones and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis impacts way more girls than males, particularly within the leadup to menopause. Based on the Endocrine Society, roughly one in ten girls over the age of 60 are affected by osteoporosis worldwide, and one in two postmenopausal girls will endure from osteoporosis.

That is as a result of function of estrogen in bone formation and density. The hyperlink between osteoporosis and estrogen, Ingraham explains, stems from the truth that estrogen is an anabolic hormone for bone⁵. “In different phrases,” she says, “it’s principally going to assist bone formation happen. Shedding that’s going to result in bone loss.”

The identical Worldwide Journal of Molecular Sciences analysis evaluation illustrated this hyperlink, noting that the danger of osteoporosis for girls started at 3.3% within the latter half of the 40s, with dangers doubling roughly each 5 years and reaching 50% in girls 85 and older⁴.

“Estrogen performs an important function in sustaining bone density,” explains Mysore, “in order its ranges drop, bone loss accelerates, resulting in weaker bones which are extra prone to fractures. Hormonal adjustments additionally have an effect on the bone reworking course of, the place outdated bone is damaged down sooner than new bone will be shaped, additional weakening bones.” Consequently, she says, “menopausal and perimenopausal girls have to be particularly conscious of osteoporosis and bone density.”

This, Ingraham notes, is especially true for breast most cancers survivors or those that, as a consequence of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, select to have their ovaries eliminated. For these girls, she says, “the whole lot goes to be accelerated.”

“There’s a considerable variety of girls who’ve breast most cancers, who’ve needed to go on anti-estrogens, particularly these girls who weren’t pre-menopausal, however proper across the time the place they might be thought of peri-menopausal,” she says. “They’re placed on anti-hormone remedy for 5 to 10 years. And in order that has a dramatic impact in your bones.”

How Can I Lower My Danger of Creating Osteoporosis?

Some threat components, like gender and genetics, are insurmountable. “There’s many ladies who, it doesn’t matter what they do, they’re gonna have bone loss,” says Ingraham. “Some girls protect their bone fairly nicely, like my mom did, after which there are others that actually lose it rapidly.”

That mentioned, there are some way of life selections that may mitigate the dangers.

Select the Proper Sort of Exercise

Train can have helpful results on the musculoskeletal system, and particular workouts for osteoporosis might assist scale back the danger of osteoporosis-induced breaks later in life. The specialists at Harvard Medical College suggest specializing in a mixture of weight-bearing workouts like strolling and climbing stairs, muscle-strengthening workouts like free weights or lifting, steadiness workouts like tai chi and yoga, and suppleness workouts like stretching⁵.

Mysore agrees. “Weight-bearing workouts, similar to strolling or jogging, stimulate bone formation by placing stress on the bones,” she says. “Energy coaching, or resistance workouts like lifting weights, additionally helps construct bone mass and improve muscle power. Stability and suppleness workouts, similar to yoga or tai chi, enhance coordination and scale back the chance of falls, that are a standard explanation for fractures in folks with osteoporosis.”

Dave Asprey, Writer of Closely Meditated, Well being Science and Biotech Entrepreneur, echoes these suggestions. “Resistance coaching promotes bone density in addition to common motion like strolling,” he says. 

He additionally recommends focused applications, similar to OsteoStrong, which depends on “osteogenic loading” to enhance bone power. “The machine applies transient, intense pressure to completely different components of your physique,” he explains. “Below the steering of a coach, you push or pull as exhausting as you possibly can for just a few seconds on every machine, aiming to succeed in a pressure of 4.2 instances your physique weight to stimulate bone progress and improve power.”

Complete physique vibration like Energy Plate can also assist improve bone power, he says. “It entails standing on a plate that vibrates 30 instances per second,” he says. “Research verify that entire physique vibration improves bone density in postmenopausal girls.”

Eat a Weight-reduction plan That’s Good for Your Bones

Anybody who grew up within the “Bought Milk” marketing campaign period is aware of that calcium is crucial for good bone well being. However stopping osteoporosis is far more difficult than ingesting a glass of milk and calling it a day.

“One of many greatest misconceptions is that it’s all about calcium deficiency,” says Asprey. “The reality is it’s much more advanced than that — you want the fitting minerals and fat-soluble nutritional vitamins in the fitting kinds and quantities.”

Calcium remains to be place to start out — in response to Mysore, it’s “important” for bone power. To make sure you’re getting sufficient, she recommends consuming not simply dairy, but in addition leafy greens and tofu. 

Pairing calcium with nutritional vitamins like vitamin D and vitamin Okay assist support the mineral’s absorption, explains Asprey. “Vitamin D3 helps you soak up calcium and vitamin K2 directs the calcium the place it must go — in your bones and tooth as an alternative of in your tissues or arteries,” he explains. You will discover vitamin D in fatty fish, egg yolks, or by way of daylight publicity, and vitamin Okay is current in leafy greens like kale, spinach, and broccoli. Magnesium is one other mineral that aids in calcium absorption that’s current in nuts, seeds, entire grains, and leafy greens.

That mentioned, food regimen will not be sufficient — particularly for these consuming a primarily plant-based food regimen.

“Vitamins from plant meals are a lot much less bioavailable than these from animal meals,” explains Asprey. “Additionally, our soil isn’t the identical because it was. It incorporates loads much less minerals than it used to.” Soil depletion has led to lowered mineral content material in lots of vegetation⁶, main some specialists to suggest supplementation to make sure you’re getting the important nutritional vitamins and minerals you want⁷.

Along with including healthful meals to your food regimen, Mysore provides that it’s important to scale back the consumption of meals or drinks, like extreme caffeine and alcohol, that may intervene with calcium absorption.

Make Life-style Adjustments that Help Bone Energy

Based on Mysore, there are different way of life selections that will assist impression hormone well being and thus bone well being. These embody managing stress by way of leisure strategies and getting sufficient sleep — and the latter is much more important if you happen to’re a lady. 

The well-known suggestion of seven to eight hours of sleep per evening stem from analysis achieved on males — girls want extra. Analysis revealed within the American Sociological Evaluation in 2013 indicated that girls want a mean of 11 minutes extra sleep than males⁷, whereas more moderen analysis on girls’s longer circadian rhythms⁸ has led specialists like Dr. Patrick Flynn to suggest girls stand up to 10 hours of sleep an evening⁹.

It’s additionally important to remain knowledgeable in regards to the state of your bone density. “Common bone density testing is essential for monitoring bone well being and catching osteoporosis early, permitting for well timed intervention,” says Mysore.

The Contentious Query of HRT

Some specialists additionally suggest hormone substitute remedy, or supplementation with bioidentical synthetic hormones, as a preventative measure for osteoporosis. This follow is considerably controversial, as a result of elevated threat of blood clotting issues, heart problems, breast most cancers, or stroke related to HRT. The Cleveland Clinic additionally notes that some hormones, significantly compounded bioidentical hormones, lack FDA oversight relating to their purity and security¹⁰.

Regardless of these issues, HRT can mitigate the consequences of osteoporosis and even stop the illness, in response to Mysore. “Hormone Substitute Remedy (HRT) may help handle the decline in estrogen ranges throughout menopause, which performs a key function in sustaining bone density,” she says. And Ingraham provides that along with train, sustaining estrogen ranges so long as attainable is “the one factor that I might say that in all probability does make a distinction” in mitigating osteoporosis threat.

Mysore recommends that girls converse with a healthcare supplier about whether or not HRT for osteoporosis is an effective choice for them, and Asprey provides that common superior hormone labs ought to grow to be a behavior for girls as they strategy menopause. “This manner, you possibly can establish and repair potential points lengthy earlier than they grow to be an issue,” he says.

Sources:

1. https://www.nia.nih.gov/information/maternal-brain-hormone-key-strengthening-bones-could-help-treat-osteoporosis-bone-fractures
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351968
3. https://www.nia.nih.gov/information/maternal-brain-hormone-key-strengthening-bones-could-help-treat-osteoporosis-bone-fractures
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8836058/
5. https://www.well being.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/effective-exercises-for-osteoporosis
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7917752/
7. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/magnesium-supplement-oral-route/description/drg-20070730
8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4868418/
9. https://www.instagram.com/p/CptD9-BJvHN/?hl=en&img_index=2
10. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/well being/therapies/15660-bioidentical-hormones

Tags: bone well being bone power calcium deficiency osteoporosis osteoporosis prevention