PREVENTING and MONITORING OSTEOPOROSIS

 

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  • Haverhill
  • Suffolk CB9 9LB
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WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS?

Osteoporosis is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced, leading to weakness of the skeleton and increased risk of fracture. Osteoporosis literally means "porous bone". When a bone has become osteoporotic or osteopenic (low bone mass), the risk of a fracture increases. The forearm, spine and hip are the most common fracture sites, accounting for more than 80 percent of all fractures. Osteoporosis and associated fractures are an important cause of mortality and morbidity. 20 percent of hip fractures lead to death within a year. 

More women die from an osteoporosis related fracture than from cancer of the ovary, cervix and uterus combined.

In many affected people, bone loss is gradual and without symptoms or warning signs until the disease is advanced. Osteoporosis is a global problem, which is increasing in significance as the population of the world both grows and ages. For these reasons, osteoporosis is often referred to as the "silent epidemic". 

Many people think of osteoporosis as an "an old woman's disease". This is a misconception. Bone loss in women can begin as early as age 25. Once oestrogen levels start to fall after the menopause, bones thin more quickly which explains why osteoporosis becomes so much more common in women after the menopause, including many women in their 50's. Worldwide, the lifetime risk for a woman to have an osteoporotic fracture is 30-40 percent. In men the risk is about 13 percent.

It is estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 12 men aged over 50 in the UK will develop osteoporosis. In addition to this, a further 40% of women probably have bones that are not as strong as they should be for their age, putting them at increased risk of developing osteoporosis later in life.

There are an estimated 3 million people in the UK suffering from Osteoporosis and it costs the NHS around £1.7 billion a year. The World Health Organisation estimate that this figure will rise to 5 million by the year 2020.

OSTEOPORISIS AND MEN

Osteoporosis tends to be thought of as a condition that affects only menopausal women, but it is believed that 1 in 12 men will be affected. Although the occurrence of osteoporosis in men is less common than in women, its effects in terms of morbidity and mortality are higher.

Men tend to have fewer fractures than women, but they get them at an older age than women do. It is also probable that the incidence of osteoporosis in men is at present underestimated because of the belief that it is a disease that primarily affects women. As a result, men are not screened until they develop a problem such as a fracture which is then found to be due to osteoporosis. The idea of screening men to detect the early stages of the condition is not generally accepted or considered necessary but the study of osteoporosis in men continues and it is hoped it will be taken more seriously.


Risk Factors in Men

Many of the risk factors for osteoporosis in men are the same as those for women. There are however factors specific to men. These are:

Delayed puberty
Low body weight
Low muscle mass
Hypo-gonadism with low testosterone levels

In a young man, a low testosterone level appears to inhibit the build up on bone. In later life, when metabolism should be stable, a low testosterone level seems to increase bone loss. This is a similar effect to that seen in older women with very low oestrogen levels.

Of all men found to have osteoporosis, 50% will be diagnosed as idiopathic, which simply means we do not know the cause. This is probably because osteoporosis in men has not been studied to the same extent as it has in women to date.

Preventative treatment for men is the same as that for women. The three vital components are to have a good balanced diet, take a supplement containing all the nutrients needed for bone growth and have plenty of weight bearing exercise. In addition to these it is important to reduce the intake of alcohol to low levels, to remove caffeine and fizzy drinks from the diet and to stop smoking.


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