Mature matters: Is osteoporosis preventable?
Calcium is needed in your daily diet. Photo: Getty Images
Monday November 02 2009
Q I am a post-menopausal woman who has been diagnosed with osteoporosis by my GP. I have a healthy 18-year-old daughter and I am worried she will develop it too. Are there any preventative measures she can take?
A Optimising health and reducing risk factors for developing osteoporosis are the priorities for maintaining healthy bones at a young age.
Calcium and vitamin D, exercise and stopping smoking will be beneficial in maintaining healthy bones and preventing osteoporosis. Most experts agree that calcium intake should be increased during the most important years of bone growth: the pre-teen and teenage years.
Vitamin D is increasingly being recognised for its importance in improving bone health. Teenage girls consume only 60pc of the recommended amount of calcium, and should be encouraged to drink more milk rather than soft drinks. Eating disorders can increase a girl's risk of developing osteoporosis.
Young bones respond more to exercise than adult bones. The most effective exercises are weight-bearing ones such as walking, aerobics and dancing.
However too much exercise can harm bone growth, especially when accompanied by weight loss and reduced sexual hormone production that leads to cessation of periods. Genetics are important in some patients for developing osteoporosis and these genes may be passed on to children. It is unlikely that your daughter has osteoporosis at this age, but treating any risk factors early on will reduce her chance of developing osteoporosis in later life.
Q I have been told I have thin bones following a recent bone scan requested by my GP. He has started me on calcium and vitamin D tablets. Do I really need to take them?
AThin bones may indicate that you have a condition called osteopenia, which can develop into osteoporosis if left untreated. Provided you have not had a fracture or other significant risk factors, calcium and vitamin D have a beneficial role in reducing the amount of bone being lost. Vitamin D has been shown to improve muscle strength and reduce falls. There are some studies suggesting that vitamin D may reduce mortality in fallers, reduce certain types of cancer and improve some skin conditions such as psoriasis.
Patients attending the osteoporosis clinic at St James's Hospital who are not on calcium and vitamin D supplements are often vitamin D deficient. Foods that contain vitamin D and calcium include fish, fortified milk and green leaf vegetables.
Prof J Bernard Walsh, Consultant Physician Medical Directorate for the Elderly, Dr Joseph Brown, Research Fellow in Bone Health, St James's Hospital, email ageing@independent.ie
Irish Independent
