Osteoporosis: Bone Disease

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Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, a type of bone disease, is characterized by thinning bone mass and bone tissue deterioration. The word is derived from Latin that means "porous bones."

When viewed under a microscope, a typically healthy bone appears like a honeycomb with small holes and spaces between its tissue structure. For someone with osteoporosis, however, the holes appear larger and the spaces are wider due to bone mass loss. As a result, the bones become weaker and fragile over time.

When you suffer from osteoporosis, you’re vulnerable to fractures, back pain, decrease in height, stooped posture and a slightly curved back.

Prevalence of Osteoporosis

More than 53 million individuals in the United States have low bone mass and are, therefore, …show more content…
Globally, around 200 million women develop osteoporosis by age 60.

What Happens With Bone Mass Loss?

The bones, like any tissue in the body, need nutrients to grow and thrive. From birth to old age, bone resorption, formation and remodelling also happens in a constant state.

Bone formation is larger and denser among children and teenagers. Younger people's bone structure also absorbs nutrients more efficiently. When aging eventually kicks in, however, this process of resorption and remodelling slows down. If your bone tissues do not get enough nutrients, then your body develops weaker bones or experience bone mass loss.

Older women lose bone mass faster during the first few years of menopause because of estrogen deficiency. A drop in estrogen levels also affect the structure of the bones and cause the reduction of bone strength.

How Do You Know If You Have Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis might sometimes be referred to as a silent disease because there are no prior symptoms to bone weakening. In most cases, you'll only know you have osteoporosis after experiencing a …show more content…
You have an autoimmune or hormone disorder.
You have small-boned frame and low body weight.

What Can You Do To Prevent Osteoporosis?

The body reaches peak bone mass at age 30 and if you had a healthy lifestyle in your younger years, then you lower your risk of osteoporosis by as much as 50 percent. With aging, however, more effort and conscious choices are needed to ensure bone health as some of the risk factors may still be mitigated.

Improve your calcium and vitamin D intake. If you’re a woman over 50 or a man over 70, then you’ll need at least 1,200 mg of calcium daily and 600 IU of vitamin D.

Exercise and do physical activities. Your bones do not become strong with inactivity. As much as possible, do high-impact and weight-bearing exercises for your bones like running, dancing and weight lifting. Seek the help of a professional for the best routines for your age and body.

Regularly eat fermented foods. Yogurt, kimchi or sauerkraut are just some of the examples as they contain probiotics or good microbes. These help with bone mineral density and lower hip fracture risk, according to a study. Also add more salmon, tuna, liver and eggs or milk in your diet as these are rich in vitamin
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