Tuesday, February 24, 2009

OSTEOPOROSIS

IS A CONDITION THAT CAUSES BONES TO BECOME BRITTLE AND FRAGILE, making fracture more likely.

In extreme cases, the bone may crumble and collapse.

Osteoporosis occur if the amount of bone lost every year is greater than about 2 percent per year. Although the amount sounds small, it adds up quickly.

An 80-year-old person will naturally have lost about 30 percent of bone mass since age 50 (thirty years, 1 percent loss per year), but an 80-year-old person with osteoporosis may have lost 60 percent of bone mass. The most common location for loss of bone is in the hip area, which is why older people are at high risk of breaking a hip even if the fall itself is minor.

Women, please take note of your body , we know that decreasing levels of estrogen that occur after menopause lead to an increase in some of the inflammation-related cytokines - specifically interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-6 - which changes the balance of bone resorption and bone formation so that more bone is lost than formed.
Unfortunately, this explanation does not explain osteoporosis in men.

Men with osteoporosis have been shown to have large decreases in testosterone, but this blogger is not sure what significance that has on bone.

Calcium supplements for osteoporosis is not the whole answer. It is true that without enough calcium, the human body cannot create new bone. However, bear in mind again, calcium isn't the whole answer. If it were just a question of taking a supplement, no one would need to suffer with this disease.

Calcium does NOT address the inflammatory component of osteoporosis, and bone density may not define the problem entirely. For example, several studies have shown that taking one of the statin medications (usually prescribed after a heart attack to reduce inflammation and to lower cholesterol) can prevent fractures by about 60 percent. This tremendous difference was seen even though bone mineral density increased only slightly - about 3 % at the hip, and even less in other parts of the human body. So although bone density is important, it is NOT the whole story. Many doctors and patients missed the real issue at play which is water. Inflammatory factors have to be added in.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) does not entirely prevent osteoporosis and fractures. One study found that men who were deprived of androgen( the main male hormone) because of treatment for prostate cancer had a high risk of bone density loss and fractures.

Lifestyle changes that reduce inflammation seem to be the MOST valuable ways men and women alike can protect their bones and health. Stop smoking (if you are), getting plenty of exercise, walking is best, and eating lots of fruits and vegetables, raw is best.

Smoking (cigarettes, mobile exhaust, factory smoke) is a major risk factor for osteoporosis. Smoke interferes with bone formation, increasing the risk of losing bone density.

The best kinds of exercises to help protect bones are known as weight-bearing exercises. Putting weight on a bone helps the bone-building process, so the best exercises for osteoporosis prevention are those taht require lifting weights or any kind of stress (en-stress) on the human body part, such as walking or running(if possible), which stress the leg and hip bomes. Every hour of casual walking per week at an average pace reduced the risk of hip fracture by 6 percent.

1 comment:

Its ME said...

Bones, like every other part of the human body, depend on healthy blood circulation, so any exercise that gets your body moving will improve health and wealth too - even the daily exercise of housework, yard work, walking the doggies, and running after young children or grandchildren.

All kinds if exercise also help improve balance and flexibity, which are critical for preventing the kinds of fall that can lead to broken bones and hospitalization.

Slwo-motion "tai-chi" ( a Chinese form of breathing-cum-motion exercise) are known to help improve strength and balance, and a recent study also found that postmenopausal women who regularly practiced tai chi for at least 4 years had less bone loss than people who are nonexercisers. Keep up the good words and works .