Anatomy and Physiology
Osteoporosis and its Importance to Nutrition
Osteoporosis is classified as the bone disease that typically leads to an increased risk of fracture. Bones become weak and brittle during the process, which is caused by the loss of calcium. As an individual ages, he or she loses more bone(s) than the bodies can create and cancel out. Osteoporosis is commonly misunderstood as an illness for women, but in actuality, the problem is very common for men as well. The disease is the most common skeletal disease associated with aging. It can be caused by a family history of osteoporosis, one’s hormone composition, age, food consumption, and how one lives his/her lives.
Osteoporosis is also a bone condition caused by a decrease in mass, resulting in bones that are more porous and more easily fractured than normal bones. All bones can be affected but fractures are most common in the wrist, spine, and hip. There are many other risk factors and they are low calcium intake; inadequate physical activity; certain drugs, such as corticosteroids, and a family history of the disease. Osteoporosis can be divided into two and they are primary osteoporosis and secondary osteoporosis.
The primary osteoporoses are as follows; we have idiopathic osteoporosis which is a rare disorder of unknown cause that affects premenopausal women and men who are middle-aged or younger. Then we have postmenopausal or estrogen-deficient in women that are caused by osteoporosis Type I, and is observed in women whose ovaries have ceased to produce the hormone estrogen. Then we have osteoporosis Type II, which is age related, affects those over the age of 70. The secondary osteoporosis may be caused by bone disuse as a result of paralysis or other conditions, including weightlessness in space; endocrine and nutritional disorders, including anorexia nervosa; specific disease processes; and certain drug therapies. There are medications and hormones that are used to slow down the bone loss and even help build the strength of the bones back up. These treatments help keep the bones from breaking and/or fracturing.
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Osteoporosis can be treated and cured with nutrition and medication by getting enough calcium in certain foods or medications. As we were taught since we were children, this is because calcium builds strong bones. By drinking lots of milk; eating yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products; and eating dark green and leafy vegetables one can take in and utilize lots of calcium. Calcium can also be obtained when we eat foods that have calcium added to them such as orange juice and many types of cereals. Most women take calcium pills to make sure their necessary intake of calcium is reached. Exercise can also treat osteoporosis because it is very important for good health and strong bones. The best exercises for the bones can be weight-bearing exercises and they are as follows: walking, running, dancing, climbing stairs, and/or using weights in a gym.
Skipping meals and going on many of the new “fad” diets is not beneficial because this can take away the foods your bones need to stay healthy. Another common treatment used to help today is having hormone replacement therapy. This is a treatment that puts hormones back into your body after your body stops making them. Hormone replacement therapy can help keep bone loss from taking place.
Many diseases are preventable by having a good balanced diet, and osteoporosis is no different. Because osteoporosis affects the bones in the body, it is easy to understand why calcium is so important. The age that requires the most calcium per day is 9-18 years of age. The typical intake suggests that one needs 1300 mg per day. From eighteen on, it should stay between 1000mg and 1200mg for the rest of your life. It is fairly simple to take in the right amount of calcium per day because of the various amounts of food (e.g. milk, cheese, broccoli, etc.) that contain this vitamin. Today, it is even easier with the many foods such as juices, cereals, and the “to-go” breakfast bars that are all fortified with calcium. You can even add nonfat powdered milk to many meals and dishes. Each tablespoon has 52mg of calcium. If none of these options strike ones’ desire, there are always the wide range of supplements that can be consumed. These are particularly good for people that are lactose intolerant.
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... doesn’t result in elevated blood calcium. 4. In osteoporosis, the osteoclast are breaking down bone faster than the osteoblasts are ... the body will take calcium away from the bone, which weakens them and makes them more likely to fracture. 3. Parathyroid hormone ... osteomalacia in adults. Together with calcium and vitamin D also helps protect older adults form osteoporosis. 4. Men and women have ...
Osteoporosis can also be prevented by making sure that one’s Vitamin D intake is properly observed. Vitamin D helps the body in calcium absorption. It allows calcium to leave the intestine and enter the bloodstream much more easily. To help one understand more clearly, think of Vitamin D as being the catalyst for allowing Calcium to do its job. Dairy products and fish are rich in Vitamin D, with a recommended daily intake of 400 to 800 units to prevent the disease. The most abundant form of getting Vitamin D in the body is through your skin. Direct sunlight to the skin ignites the production of the vitamin, and one’s body only needs a short time with sun exposure to be able to have the necessary amount produced.
While diets can be very beneficial in the prevention of Osteoporosis, a well-balanced diet can also help to treat it. If one is able to ensure that he or she has enough of the essential vitamins and minerals, it has been proven that it will lessen the advancement of the disease.
Another treatment method, which also is considered the most effective, is a hormone addition called Teriparatide. It has recently been approved for treating osteoporosis because it increases the rate of bone formation in the bone during the remodeling cycle. Other medications include Bisphosphonates, Calcitonin, Estrogen Therapy, Hormone Therapy, Raloxifene, and Parathyroid Hormone. It is important to understand that none of these are “cures,” but they are considered stepping stones in today’s medical world.
References
1. “Osteoporosis: What is it?” National Osteoporosis Foundation (2008)
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INTRODUCTION: Bioactive vitamin D or calcitriol is a steroid hormone that has long been known for its important role in regulating body levels of calcium and phosphorus, and in mineralization of bone. More recently, it has become clear that receptors for vitamin D are present in a wide variety of cells, and that this hormone has biologic effects which extend far beyond control of mineral ...
http://www.nof.org/osteoporosis/index.htm.
2. “Osteoporosis” November 22, 2008
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/osteoporosis.html
3. “Osteoporosis” November 22, 2008
