Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
According to Jun Wang, MS, Nutritional Consultant at InVite Health’s Forest Hills and Bronx store locations, “Osteoporosis is a health condition where your bones are weak and brittle. Health risks of osteoporosis may include an increase of fractures of the hip, wrist and spine. Generally …
Jerry Hickey is a pharmacist and radio personality and fills the esteemed role of Scientific Director and President of Invite Health. He has spent his professional life analyzing nutritional information and medical studies with the aim of creating the highest quality and most natural nutraceuticals …
Osteoporosis is a health condition where your bones are weak and brittle. Health risks of osteoporosis may include an increase of fractures of the hip, wrist and spine. Generally speaking, osteoporosis is bone loss and, every day since the day we are born, our bones are becoming weaker and weaker. Before our thirties, the breakdown of “old” bones are slower than the production of “new” bones, so the skeleton grows in both size and strength. After that point, bone density slowly declines in both men and women. Women after menopause are at the highest risk, while millions of American men are also suffering from osteoporosis. The primary cause in men is age-related and becomes an issue usually after the age of 65. There are various kinds of osteoporosis treatment available, which can ease the symptoms, but the majority of those who develop it do have to lead less active lifestyles in order to protect themselves from damage.
Seventy-five percent of seniors are at risk for a fracture related to bone loss. Twenty-five percent of women over the age of 65 have full blown osteoporosis and another 52% have osteopenia. For men, six percent have full blown osteoporosis and 44% of older men have osteopenia; a smaller level of bone loss than osteoporosis but it still increases the risk of fracture. For men, the rate of bone loss at the age of 65 is 1-2% per year, so by the age of 75 men, men have lost 10–20% of their bone. Medication, obesity, and other lifestyle habits can accelerate this loss. Additionally, calcium absorption decreases on average by 0.21% per year after the age of 40.
The use of medication is one of the most popular contributi ng factors in the development of osteoporosis. Glucocortioid medications, commonly used to treat asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and severe inflammation, have strong effects on bone triggering bone loss. Prednisone and other drugs in this family when used long term cause the loss of calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and potassium in the urine contributing to bone fragility. Other medications including, but not limited to diuretics and laxatives also can have adverse effects on bone health. Consult your doctor about your osteoporosis concerns, especially if you are a man over 70 years old. Be sure you are taking the correct dosage of medications, calcium and vitamin D supplements.
By Archana Gogna, MS, CNS, MBA Maintaining strong and toned muscles are very important; not just for the sake of vanity and for attracting admiring looks, but the health of muscles translates to real health and vitality. While a great deal has been made of strong …
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has reported roughly one in four women over the age of 65 have osteoporosis of the hip and spine, a painful and debilitating bone disorder. Yet, this disorder only plagues less than 6% of men over the age of …
Peel back the layers of skin and muscle and imagine your bones. You are likely thinking of something very rigid and static that does not change once you reach adulthood. Despite being a hard substance, our bones are very much alive, growing and changing throughout our lives. This means that if we nourish our bones correctly, we can keep them healthy for our entire lifetime. There is a lot more to bone health than just getting enough calcium. In fact, taking calcium alone may even be problematic, as calcium needs several nutrients to direct it to the bones. Without these nutrients, calcium may get laid down in our arteries, kidneys and other organs and can eventually cause damage. In 2011, the per capita consumption of milk alone was 174.1 pounds (or 2,785 ounces) and 603 pounds of all dairy productsi , yet there are still millions of people who have low bone density. The National Osteoporosis Foundation reported in 2014 that 10.2 million Americans have osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) and another 43.4 million Americans have osteopenia (low bone density, a precursor to osteoporosis)ii. Two million bone breaks and fractures are also attributed to osteoporosis, yet more often than not, osteoporosis is never tested for or even considered.iii Clearly, there are other factors involved besides getting enough calcium. In fact, there are nearly 25 nutrients that make up our bones and are needed for proper mineralization of our bones.
Our bones are made of a protein-mineral matrix. We essentially have two types of bones – 75% makes up the hard exterior and protects bone from trauma and 25% of softer tissue on the inside of bone, which includes bone marrow and allows bones to withstand pressure without breaking. The minerals make our bones hard and strong. Our bones contain calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, silica, iron, zinc, selenium, boron, phosphorus, sulfur, chromium, and many more. The proteins include collagen and osteocalcin, which gives our bones flexibility and allows them to bend without breaking. It is collagen which allows us to twist our bodies and sustain falls without experiencing a bone fracture. This softer tissue is more metabolically active and has a higher turnover rate. There are a few factors that affect the health of our inner bones, like low estrogen levels in both women and men, steroid use and immobilization. Similarly, a very sedentary lifestyle can lead to loss of this type of bone.