Dr Sarah Jarvis
My Weekly’s favourite GP from TV and radio writes for you
Bones are the hardest bits of our bodies, and make up our skeleton – the framework the rest of our bodies are built around – but did you know that bone doesn’t just sit there? It’s constantly being reabsorbed and rebuilt by the body. Once you’re 40, your bone becomes less dense as the rate it’s made is exceeded by the rate it’s reabsorbed.
After the menopause this process speeds up, meaning women are at higher risk than men. In fact 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. The bones most likely to break are your wrist, hip and bones in your spine. Your spine bones can collapse – a so-called crush fracture – that gives rise to chronic pain. Your upper spine can also become hunched over with a “dowager’s hump”. Clearly this causes pain and misery for sufferers, as well as threatening independence. It’s also a huge financial burden and it’s estimated thinning bones will cost the NHS £2.2 billion by 2025.
A recent survey on bone health in women over 45 reflects what my patients tell me about their concerns. More than 2 in 5 women worry about getting frail as they age. Half feel they should take their health more seriously, but aren’t doing anything about it. The same number find it hard to stay physically active. A whopping 86% worry about losing independence as they get older. Protecting yourself against osteoporosis could very much stack the odds in your favour.
If you’ve broken a bone after a minor injury, such as a
EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE A VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENT OF 10 MICROGRAMS A DAY IN WINTER. WITH OSTEOPOROSIS, YOU SHOULD TAKE IT ALL YEAR ROUND
fall from standing height or less, your GP should arrange a bone density scan – a quick and painless investigation that can show if you have osteoporosis or an early version of bone thinning called osteopenia.
If you have risk factors for osteoporosis, your doctor might suggest a bone scan even if you haven’t broken a bone. Risk factors include taking steroid tablets long term, a parent who had osteoporosis, going through the menopause under 45, being underweight, smoking and/ or heavy drinking, having rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease or the spine condition ankylosing spondylitis.
If you’re concerned you might be at risk, you can arrange a test yourself for £39.99. The Osentia test involves taking a small fingernail or toe nail clipping to send off for laboratory analysis, giving you an idea of your risk of osteoporosis.
If you’re found to have osteoporosis, your doctor may recommend a regular tablet to reduce further bone thinning. Most of these tablets can be taken once a week, but have to be taken in a particular way – your pharmacist will advise you.
Getting enough calcium in your diet is important for strong bones, whether you have osteoporosis or not. After the menopause, you should increase your calcium intake. Dairy products, tinned fish with bones, and green leafy veg like spinach provide calcium. If you can’t get enough in your diet, your doctor may recommend a supplement.
Weight bearing exercise is key to preventing osteoporosis. Any kind of weight bearing or resistance exercise works, but swimming and cycling don’t count. Try brisk walking, dancing, tennis or even discovering your inner child and skipping – but don’t put yourself at risk of a fall. Next Week: Do you need supplements?
REGULAR EXERCISE WILL HELP KEEP YOUR MUSCLES STRONG AND IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE, THUS CUTTING THE RISK OF FALLS AND BROKEN BONES
1 IN 3 WOMEN AND 1 IN 5 MEN OVER 50 WILL BREAK A BONE BECAUSE OF OSTEOPOROSIS’’