Osteoporosis: It's Not Just Your Grandmother's Problem
By Dr. Phillip A. Librone

We tend to think of Osteoporosis as a problem that affects only the elderly, that perhaps it is something to worry about when we’re older. Unfortunately, this thinking could not be more fallacious. Osteoporosis is the most frequently encountered metabolic bone disease, effecting 20 million Americans (approximately 80% women and 20% men), causing 1.3 million fractures per year. The hip area will account for 250,000 of these fractures, which has a 20% mortality rate. Osteoporosis is defined as a reduction in bone quantity. This reduction begins much earlier than most people realize. As we grow and develop, our bone mass increases. The increase, however, only continues until the age of 25. Between the ages of 25-35, our bone mass plateaus, after which we lose bone mass at a rate of 0.3% to 1.0% per year for both men and women. For women, this rate can increase up to 5% per year after menopause. It isn’t until our sixties and seventies that this slow attrition manifests itself as Osteoporosis. The truth is, like most degenerative diseases, the most effective treatment is prevention, and the sooner we start, the better. What this means is that the critical time for building our bones is in our youth. It’s imperative that our children have eating habits and life styles that are conducive to developing strong and healthy bones. This can be accomplished through exercise, diet and supplementation.

Here is a little known fact: Astronauts lose bone quantity while they are up in space and then have to try to rebuild it when they return to earth. The reason for their bone loss has nothing to do with their space diet and everything to do with the ease of working in a weightless environment. You see, our bones need to be stimulated to develop. This is done when our bones have to support the stresses of our working muscles. Weight bearing exercise is one part of the triad in developing strong, healthy bones. It is more effective and easier for someone younger to lift weights and exercise than it is for someone in their sixties and seventies. That isn’t to say that we can’t exercise when we’re older, but it’s best if it is a continuation of a fitness lifestyle from our younger days.

The second part of our triad is diet. Obviously, it is important to have a well balanced diet, incorporating foods that are high in calcium. In general, dairy and green leafy vegetables are good sources of calcium. Some specific foods that are high in calcium include: Soy milk, soy beans, orange juice fortified with calcium, collards, baked potato (with skin), dried figs, roasted almonds, chicken, sardines, papaya and white beans.

Finally, there is supplementation. This is especially important for people who do not get enough calcium in their diet or who have problems with calcium absorption. The recommended calcium intake per day is:

When supplementing, be sure to take the recommended dosage, more is not better and more than 2500 mg could be toxic. Along with the calcium supplementation, you will also need to take 400 IU of vitamin D. Vitamin D is necessary for your body to absorb calcium. You can also get vitamin D by exposing yourself to a little bit of sunlight daily. The sun converts the cholesterol under our skin into vitamin D.

By adopting these practices, we will give ourselves the best chance at staving off the problems associated with Osteoporosis. For information on Osteoporosis (such as risk factors and treatment options) contact your healthcare provider or visit www.lostmountainchiro.com.

Lost Mountain Chiropractic has been serving the West Cobb Community since 1996. Our proven track record of delivering professional, clinically sound chiropractic care to hundreds of patients makes us a leader in the delivery of safe, natural chiropractic care.