JOIN USOsteoporosis or the syndrome of brittle bones, as it is called, is a common ailment afflicting a large number of people. According to International Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures worldwide annually, which means there’s an osteoporotic fracture every three seconds. However, most people keep living with brittle bones for several years without having any clue about their condition, until a fracture happens.
Since osteoporosis does not manifest with any warning for a long time, under-diagnosis and under-treatment remain major obstacles in curtailing the incidence of this problem throughout the world and especially in India, where the issue of bone health does not attract much attention.
As we age Bone is a living tissue that comprises minerals predominantly calcium, along with phosphorus, potassium etc, in smaller quantities. So, calcium is the main source of strength for our bones. A calcium deficiency would understandably lead to weaker bones that have a tendency to turn brittle with age.
As we age, our bones lose calcium, Vitamin D and other minerals reducing the density of bone mass. The extreme thinning or fragility of bones is described as osteoporosis.
Bone density reaches its peak during the early thirties, after which the rate of bone loss becomes greater than the rate of bone formation. Bones naturally start becoming thinner with age as the rate of depletion of the bone outstrips the rate at which new bone is made. This happens in both men and women, but it aggravates in women after menopause. If left unattended or untreated, this loss of bone mass keeps aggravating till the time the bones become so brittle, that even a small fall can lead to a fracture.
Osteoporosis is a major ailment that makes old age difficult. It not only restricts your movement by making you injury-prone, but may also lead to disability or the need for hip replacement or knee replacement.
The density of minerals like calcium in our bones determines the strength of our skeletal system. Bone depletion, which makes a person extremely prone to fractures is a very common phenomenon experienced with ageing. That is why we hear of hip fractures and knee injuries in the elderly so often. It may even affect young people who suffer excessive bone mineral loss.
However, bone depletion or osteoporosis is a progressive process and does not develop overnight. Still, it doesn’t give any warning signals while it is progressing and eating away your bones. In this context, it becomes absolutely crucial to get your bone density checked once in a while to allow you to take corrective action before it is too late. With improper diets, fault lifestyles, lack of physical activity and absence of sun exposure, a large part of our population, including relatively younger adults, are falling prey to the condition.
Calling for calcium
We normally lose calcium every day through our skin, nails, sweat and urine, but our bodies cannot produce new calcium; the need has to be fulfilled through intake of calcium. In addition to building bones, calcium is also crucial for the health of teeth, nerves and muscles. In fact, about 99% of the calcium in our bodies is in our bones and teeth. And when our calcium intake is not enough to meet the multifarious requirements of the body, the body extracts the vital mineral from the bones.
The amount of calcium an individual needs depends on a number of factors such as age, sex, height etc. But, it is estimated that a minimum intake of 1,000 mg of calcium daily is essential for general wellbeing and maintaining sound bone health. This includes the total amount of calcium you get from food and supplements.
If your daily calcium requirement is being fulfilled from your diet, you do not need to consume calcium supplements. But if your daily diet fails to meet the required need, calcium supplements become necessary to overcome the shortfall. However, we hardly keep track of the amount of calcium we are consuming daily.
In people who already have been found to suffer from osteoporosis, calcium
supplements are advisable. Same is true for pregnant and lactating mothers who need more calcium intake to fulfill the needs of their own and the baby’s bodies. At the same time, calcium intake should be supplemented with adequate vitamin D because the latter is crucial for calcium absorption in the body. Always talk to your doctor before starting a calcium supplement so that s/he can evaluate the possible interactions between any prescription medications you are taking and calcium supplements.
Here are some suggestions to help improve your bone strength:
n Include sufficient calcium in your diet in the form of milk, yoghurts, almonds and the like.
n Expose your body to the sun daily so that it ensures adequate Vitamin D in your system to facilitate optimum calcium absorption.
n Talk to your doctor regularly about associated risks and take supplements if suggested, especially after menopause or pregnancy.
n Get a bone mineral density test or T score test done once every few years to gauge the extent of bone depletion and take corrective measures, if needed.
n Adopt weight-bearing exercises in your daily routine. Bone reacts and responds when pressure is exerted on it. It becomes stronger in response to weight-bearing exercises like running, hiking, weight training, aerobics and brisk walking.
(The author is senior consultant, orthopedics & joint replacement surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi)