Health

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a serious and common disease affecting the bones and the cause of much pain and suffering. Osteoporosis affects more than a third of women over the age of 50 and more than half or all individuals over 60. Men are also becoming seriously affected by osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a crippling disease and once there it cannot be repaired or prevent it from occurring and calcium supplementation absolutely vital together with weight bearing exercises.

Bone is constantly being broken down and rebuilt. Up until 30-peak bone mass is achieved. Thereafter, the building and breaking down processes bone cells is reduced, the internal structure of bones is disrupted, and they become brittle and can fracture easily. When a woman approaches menopause bone loss is speeded up rapidly, leading to osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is highly likely to cause fractures, which commonly affect the ribs, pelvis, hip, spine and forearm. Fractures occur every 3 minutes in the United Kingdom. Fractures can lead to severe pain, disability, reduced quality of life, unplanned expenses and even death. A fracture of the vertebral is when a small segment of the spine collapses and may cause sudden severe pain. This can involve the whole vertebra resulting in loss of height, hunching of the back thereby causing problems with breathlessness and indigestion.

A quarter of women aged 60 has suffered a hip fracture. These fractures can occur spontaneously, or as a result of a fall. The most serious complication of osteoporosis, hip fractures are painful, require hospitalization, and up to 20 % of patients die within a year of the fracture. 15 to 25 % of patients require institutionalization and 50 % never return to an independent existence. The cost of treating a fractured hip are currently in excess of R20, 000-00.

Generally osteoporosis is a painless condition, which develops silently, so the chances are you will only realize you have osteoporosis until you develop a fracture by which time x-rays will reflect bone loss of 30 to 40 % already having been lost. Many centers have osteoporosis screening machines, which measure the density of bones and can detect osteoporosis at an early stage.

High calcium intake and weight bearing exercise (e.g. walking) are the best ways of achieving and maintaining peak bone mass.

Bones needs calcium.

When you lay down bone mass:

• Children age 6 years and up don't get nearly enough calcium
• Average woman of 30 years and older requires 1000 to 1200 mg per day
• Teenagers 13 years and up are essentially require calcium supplementation for prevention of osteoporosis.

Make sure to take organic supplements , more expensive but worth your money.