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Understanding Osteoporosis
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Understanding Osteoporosis |
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osteoporosis is a progressive disease
that weakens bones, enhancing the danger of sudden and unexpected fractures. Literally,
Osteoporosis means ‘porous bones’. The pores develop in bones after an extensive loss of bone mass.
The disorder is mainly linked to the aging process, although it can affect people of any age.
The disease is more prevalent among women, particularly the menopausal women, but it occurs
among men as well.
Osteoporosis is of two types:
Primary osteoporosis: This commonly occurs in women of age 50 to 65 years, i.e.,
menopausal/postmenopausal woman. Men after age 75 may also develop it.
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Secondary osteoporosis: This may occur among young, middle-aged people and the older people as well.
Some of the common causes of secondary osteoporosis include:
- Medications like corticosteroids
- Anorexia nervosa, a self-inflicted starvation which leads to malnutrition
- Too much of workouts – among women who indulge in too much of exercises, estrogen production may cease,
which may lead to osteoporosis.
Causes of Osteoporosis
Bones are made up of bone tissues and minerals. The process of bone formation is an ever-going
process, with each of the old bone in our body being replaced by a new one in about hundred days.
However, when the bone tissues and minerals are lost more rapidly than they are replenished,
osteoporosis occurs. Lack of adequate amount of bone tissues and minerals forms pores in the
bones, the characteristic of this disease.
Until twenties, the bones are built faster than they are broken down; consequently, when you are
around 30 years, your bone density is maximum. Osteoporosis is actually linked to how much maximum
bone density you acquire (by age 30) and how much of bone loss you will undergo in your middle and
old age. The greater is your bone mass acquired early in life, the lesser are your chances to get
osteoporosis. For the coming 15-20 years after the age of 30 years, the rate of bone loss and that
of rebuilding is almost alike, thus, the bone density continues to be similar during these years.
However, beyond the age 45-55 years, the breakdown of bones exceeds their building up reducing their
densities. Among women, the bone loss is fastest after menopause when the decline in estrogen levels,
while among men, the boss accelerates after age 65, when the levels of the hormone testosterone fall.
Thus, among the factors that cause osteoporosis are:
- Deficiency of the hormones (estrogen in women and testosterone in men)
- Nutritional deficiencies, especially of calcium and vitamin D
- Sedentary lifestyle with a lack of physical activity. Exercise or any kind of physical
activity has been found to increase bone mass and hence reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
By Rosalinda Streak
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