Osteoporosis is a condition that is affecting the lives of millions of American women today.

In the U.S., 10 million people have osteoporosis and 34 million more have low bone mass and therefore are at risk for developing osteoporosis.  Osteopenia is a term used to describe slight bone loss or a bone density less than that of an average 30 year old women. With proper diet and exercise osteopenia can very often be reversed completely.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease that gradually develops over a period of years. The resulting loss of bone tissue can leave those afflicted with very weak and fragile bones. If preventive measures are not taken, untreated osteoporosis can progress unnoticed for decades until a fracture occurs.

Although over 2 million American men suffer from osteoporosis and many more are at risk (without knowing it), the most common form of this disease affects post menopausal women and often results in fractures of the hip, wrist, or spine.

Half of the women and one quarter of the men over the age of fifty will have an osteoporosis related fracture in their lifetime.

The 3 most significant factors contributing to post menopausal osteoporosis are believed to be:

1. Low levels of estrogen, related to menopause.
2. Insufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D in the diet. Calcium is vital to the development and maintenance of strong bones, and vitamin D is required to absorb calcium from the foods we eat.  If you do not have enough calcium in your blood from food and nutritional supplements, your body will leach the calcium that it needs from your bones making them weaker.
3. Lack of physical activity (common among many adults today) is believed to contribute to lower bone density because the skeleton is not being taxed enough to stimulate new bone growth.

Treatment for Osteoporosis

At this time there is no known cure for osteoporosis however treatment can slow and even reverse its effects. To prevent osteoporosis, it is recommended that we consume a diet rich in calcium and lead an active lifestyle, which includes frequent weight bearing exercises (walking, hiking, stair climbing, tennis, dancing and/or aerobics exercises) and resistance training. 

The term weight-bearing exercise means that your skeleton is carrying your body weight in an upright position.  Impact through the heel of the foot stimulates bone cell growth by sending vibrations through the skeleton.

To strengthen our muscles and develop the support system for our skeleton we also need to do some form of resistance training. To achieve this we can use weights, exercise bands or resistance exercise equipment / machines. 

Strong and toned muscles help by supporting the skeleton and back and thereby reduce the risk of spinal fractures, compression and arching of the spine.

Why Exercise is So Important for Preventing Osteoporosis

Our bones are living, growing tissue that respond to weight bearing exercise by growing denser and stronger, similar to the way our muscles react to exercise. Similar to other cells in our body, bone cells have a life cycle. New cells continue to replace the old throughout our life.  

Younger active people produce more new bone tissue than they loose, therefore net bone density increases. Generally we achieve maximum bone density and strength (peak bone mass) in our 20’s.

As we age and become less active, bone density gradually begins to decline. For women, bone loss is usually most rapid during the first few years after menopause.

We now know that exercise, diet and minor lifestyle changes can slow and even reverse the net bone loss that usually occurs at our age.

I have been teaching the “Exercise for Osteoporosis” program (that I designed for NCH Healthcare Systems) for many years, and I can tell you first hand that weight bearing exercise is something that we can do for ourselves to manage and improve our bone density.  A very high percentage of participants have truly improved, and actually increased their bone density.

A healthy body responds to the stimulus that it is provided and if we supply the stimulus and nutrition to encourage bone cell growth we can increase our net bone density. In fact many of us can have stronger bones next year than we have right now.

Lifestyle Changes That Can Help

1. Make weight bearing exercise a part of your daily routine. Bones react to load by gradually growing stronger and denser. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends 30 minutes/day most days of the week.
2. Quit smoking to reduce your risk for osteoporosis and most other diseases.
3. Reduce soft drink consumption. The phosphorus in soft drinks appears to have a deleterious effect on bone tissue. Colas and beverages with caffeine and phosphorus appear to cause increased bone resorption (a bone loss problem for children and adults).
4. Be sure to get your daily dose of calcium (1200-1500 mg/day after age 50) and vitamin D (800-1000 IU daily), both nutrients are necessary to build and maintain bone tissue.
5. See your doctor for a bone density test, after age 50
6. Fall-proof your home to prevent injury and fractures.

•  Secure all rugs.
•  Always use banisters on stairs and keep them well illuminated and clutter free.
•  Use night-lights in bedrooms and bathrooms.
•  Install grab bars in showers and tubs and use non-skid mats or tape.
•  Wear sturdy soft-soled shoes when possible and avoid loose fitting floppy footwear.
•  Ask your doctor if your medications cause dizziness or loss of balance.
•  Remove reading glasses when walking and  whenever on stairs or steps

        7.   Avoid Aluminum-containing antacids and ask your doctor if any medications you may be taking contribute to  accelerated bone loss.

If you would like to reduce your risk of osteoporosis, increase your bone density and slow or reverse the normal bone loss associated with aging, check with your doctor and then consider what weight bearing exercise programs are best for your lifestyle. Remember, although biking and swimming are good cardiovascular exercises, they are not considered weight bearing and have little effect on bone density.

Popular weight bearing exercise options include walking, hiking, using appropriate exercise videos (BeFitOverFifty.com) or joining a wellness center, community/senior center or a health club that has age appropriate fitness programs and instructors.

If you’d rather exercise alone, make a commitment to yourself and set a schedule that you can stay with.  Many find that exercising with a friend or friends is more enjoyable.

Taking a proactive role in your future health and fitness can provide benefits for a lifetime.