Healthy Conversations: Osteoporosis

Learn about osteoporosis risk factors, symptoms and treatments

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that makes bones weaker and more likely to break. In the early stages, osteoporosis has no symptoms at all. When it progresses, the resulting broken bones can be disabling or even life-threatening.

According to the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation, about 54 million Americans have osteoporosis and low bone mass. Studies suggest that approximately one in two women and up to one in four men age 50 and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis.

Testing and treatment

Treatment can help prevent, slow or reverse bone loss. And the earlier treatment starts, the better. Learn your risks for osteoporosis, take steps to prevent the disease and talk with a doctor about screening if you are at risk.

It is recommended that people 65 and older get a bone mineral density (BMD) test to see if they already have the disease or are at risk of getting it. A BMD test measures how strong your bones are. Your doctor may also recommend it if you are at high risk for osteoporosis. It’s the only test that can tell you if you have osteoporosis or not.

Risk factors for developing Osteoporosis include:

• Being female. Women account for 80% of all osteoporosis cases. And half of all women over 50 will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture.
• Age. Though osteoporosis can strike at any age, your risk rises as you get older.
• Family history. If someone in your family has osteoporosis, you’re more likely to have it too.
• A small frame. Osteoporosis works faster in bones that are already small and thin.
• Menopause. Menopause lowers levels of the female hormone estrogen. Lower estrogen levels can lead to bone thinning and osteoporosis.
• Lifestyle. Lifestyle risks such as diet, medication use, smoking and lack of exercise can contribute to the development of osteoporosis.

There are plenty of strong moves you can make to help slow down bone loss.

• Diet. Eat a balanced diet that’s rich in calcium, vitamin D and other bone-building nutrients for bone health.
• Stay active. Weight-bearing exercises—such as dancing, walking, climbing stairs and lifting weights—can help strengthen your bones. And balance exercises—like yoga and tai chi—can help you avoid a fall that might break a bone.
• Beware of bad habits. Smoking can rob your body of bone-building calcium. Alcohol also carries risks. Drinking may make you more vulnerable to bone loss and dangerous falls. If it’s hard to stop either habit, ask your doctor for help.