Good bones – not just a woman’s issue
Risk factors and testing guidelines now include men
The bone-thinning effects of osteoporosis are a common concern as we grow older. More than 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and 34 million have low bone mass. And it’s no longer just a problem for women; osteoporosis can affect anyone.
Guidelines by the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) stress the need for bone density tests – which measure the mass of your bones and their fracture risk – for both men and women. It’s estimated that one in eight men, and one in two women, will break a bone by age 50 due to osteoporosis.
Women still make up the vast majority of the population affected by osteoporosis – 80 percent– but 25 percent of hip fractures occur in men, and as men are living longer, the percentage of men experiencing fractures due to weakened bones is climbing.
Some bone loss is a natural part of aging, but osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become very thin and weak, which significantly increases your risk of bone fracture and serious injury. Up until age 30, our bodies make new bone mass at a rate faster than old bone is broken down. However, as we age, bone begins to break down faster than new bone is made. In women, this typically occurs soon after menopause, as bone-fortifying hormones like estrogen decrease; and in men, between the ages of 45 and 50.
A related condition known as osteopenia – bones that are thinning, but not thin enough to be diagnosed as full-blown osteoporosis – presents health risks, as well. Half of all fractures due to bone loss occur in people with osteopenia.
Bone density testing has long been recommended for women ages 65 and older. Now, the NOF has published guidelines recommending that men also begin this routine test, beginning at age 70.
A bone density test uses special X-rays to measure the amount of calcium and other bone minerals contained in a segment of bone. The more dense your bones are, the less likely they are to break. The test is easy and painless and generally performed on those bones most likely to break due to osteoporosis: the lower spine, the femur bone adjoining the hip, and the bones of the wrist and forearm.
Industry recommendations have been updated to be more inclusive regarding those people who should be tested, and also use new methods for calculating the level at which fracture risk becomes high enough to make bone-building drugs a cost-effective and reasonable solution. In addition to a routine bone check for older men, the guidelines recommend:
• Treating men 50 and older who have thinning bones, but not osteoporosis, as though they have a 20 percent risk of a major fracture in the next decade, or at least a 3 percent risk of a hip fracture.
• Monitoring men and women ages 50 and over for osteoporosis risk factors to determine the need for a bone density test before their senior years.
• Administering a bone density test to anyone over age 50 who has had any type of fracture or who has conditions linked to bone loss, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
• A diet rich in calcium, or daily vitamin supplements, if you’re not getting enough from your diet.
• Regular weight-bearing exercise to strengthen muscles and increases bone mass.
• Avoid excessive alcohol intake or smoking.
Studies have shown that high levels of calcium and vitamin D can stave off bone loss. Calcium can be found in milk, dairy products and dark leafy greens, such as broccoli, spinach and kale. Daily vitamin supplements – 800 mg of calcium and 800-1,000 IU of vitamin D3 – are recommended for adults over age 50. Vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol, is the form of vitamin D that best supports bone health.
Adopting healthy habits now can minimize your risk – or slow the progression of osteoporosis, if you’ve already been diagnosed. Talk with your doctor to create a diet, exercise and lifestyle plan that works for you. Ask about medication options for treatment of osteoporosis including annual infusion treatment which may be administered at your local hospital. To find a physician or learn more about your good health, visit theMedCenter.net
Tiffany Lucas, APRN, specializes in geriatric care at the South Arkansas Center on Aging (SACOA) senior health clinic. 815 Thompson Ave, El Dorado, AR 71730 (870) 863-4996 theMedCenter.net SACOA is one of only seven regional centers on aging in Arkansas and is uniquely comprised of two components: the South Arkansas Center on Aging Education Center located on Main Street downtown and the South Arkansas Center on Aging Senior Health Clinic located on the Medical Center of South Arkansas campus.