Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to fragile bones and an increased chance of fracturing the hip, spine and wrist bones.

Osteoporosis affects not only woman but men also. One out of every two women and one in four men over fifty will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Forty-four million Americans suffer from osteoporosis; sixty-eight percent of that number are women.

A couple risk factors that you cannot change concerning osteoporosis are gender, age, body size, ethnicity, and family history. Your chances of developing osteoporosis are greater if you are a woman. Women have less bone tissue and lose bone more rapidly than men because of the changes involved in menopause. Age, the older you are, the greater the risk of osteoporosis. Your bones become less dense and weaker as you age. Body size, small, thin-boned women are at greater risk. Ethnicity, Caucasian and Asian women are at highest risk. African American and Latino women have a lower but significant risk. Family history, susceptibility to fracture may be in part, hereditary. People whose parents have a history of fractures also seem to have reduced bone mass and may be at risk for fractures.

Some different risk factors that you can change to help decrease the possibilities

of osteoporosis are sex hormones, anorexia, a lifetime diet low in calcium and vitamin D, use of certain medications, inactive lifestyle or extended bed rest, cigarette smoking, excessive use of alcohol are all risks you can prevent.

Vitamin D and calcium are two main vitamins needed to keep your bones strong. Without each other, ones bones weaken. Vitamin D is needed for the body to absorb calcium. Without enough Vitamin D, we can not form enough of the hormonal calcitriol, which helps the calcium be absorbed.

You can get Vitamin D from either your daily diet or fifteen minutes in the sun. The actual needed amounts necessary for your body every day differ from person to person depending usually on age or pregnancy. Usually 400-800 IU's of Vitamin D.

Calcium is needed for our heart, muscles, and nerves to function properly and for blood to clot. Low calcium intake causes osteoporosis, low bone mass, and high fracture rates. A woman my age, 19, needs