Osteoporosis: essential facts

Osteoporosis has few warning signs—until you suddenly break a bone. Here's what you need to know about osteoporosis.

• Some 1.4 million Canadians have osteoporosis. One in four women and one in eight men over the age of 50 have the disease.
• Put simply, osteoporosis is an extension of the natural aging process. When you're young, your bones get longer and denser until you reach your full height. Even as you grow, your bone tissue is constantly being broken down and rebuilt. Then, in your early 30s if you're a woman, and at about age 40 if you're a man, your skeleton normally begins to slowly lose bone faster than your body can replace it.
• From this point on, the skeleton very gradually thins as you age. But if you have osteoporosis, it’s a different story. By the time you're diagnosed, your bones will already have lost significant density, making them fragile and easy to break—often after a very minor accident or even spontaneously.
• In particular, you'll have a higher risk for fracturing wrists or suffering painful compression fractures of the spine, causing your upper back to curve forward. The real danger, however, is hip fractures, which can cause permanent disability; studies show that 20 percent of people over age 50 who break a hip may die of complications within a year.

• Bone loss is mainly a depletion of the mineral calcium. It affects more women than men because estrogen plays a crucial role in the female body’s ability to use dietary calcium to build new bone.
• As a result, when you approach or are in menopause, the reduction in your body’s estrogen production deprives your bones of the calcium they need. Indeed, some 20 percent to 30 percent of bone loss in women occurs in the first five years after menopause, a critical time when a precondition called osteopenia often develops.
• Bone loss can also occur in younger women whose estrogen levels fall after a hysterectomy, or in athletes whose ability to produce estrogen may be hindered by low body fat. Hormonal changes can also contribute to osteoporosis in men, as can long-term use of medications such as anticonvulsants and corticosteroids.

• Take adequate calcium and vitamin D to build bone.
• Take medication prescribed to strengthen your bones and reduce your risk of fractures.
• Try weight-bearing exercise to increase your bone density.
• Alter your home and office to prevent falls.

• If a physical activity feels too strenuous or unsafe, stop immediately: Tuning into the signals your body is sending may help prevent a serious injury. If the activity is something you still wish to pursue, talk it over with your doctor.
• Take tea and see: A study in Taiwan found that longtime tea drinkers had the highest overall bone density. Researchers determined that drinking 500 millilitres (two cups) of black, green or oolong tea a day for at least six years protected the bones. This may be because tea contains flavonoids—substances that may keep bones strong.
• Bone up on non-dairy sources of calcium: Even if you drink plenty of milk, make sure your diet also includes such calcium-rich foods as canned salmon and sardines (eaten with the bones), dark-green leafy vegetables and white beans. A variety of processed foods are now fortified with calcium, including juices and cereals.

• Contact the Osteoporosis Society of Canada (1-800-463-6842 or www.osteoporosis.ca).
• Find out about new research in Canada: call 519-843-7786 or log on to www.medistudy.com and enter the word "osteoporosis."