Osteoporosis: Causes and Remedies
Hello everyone. Hope you all are fine. I apologize for not familiarizing you with any recent health topics since long, but on the contrary I appreciate your complete support as in supporting me to bring out the best in and latest health news issues for you. After all I am one for you all and you all are one for me. I thank you for your patience and support till now and would expect the same in future as well. Till now I was researching for some common topic related to health and I came now through a common issue which seems so prevalent in the society. The health issue which I’m gonna discuss in this topic is about Osteoporosis. What is actually Osteoporosis? How it is caused and what are the possible remedies for it? Let’s discuss this all below in this article.
Osteoporosis is a medical condition which is been characterized by a decrease in the density of bone, decreasing its strength and resulting in fragile and weak bones. Osteoporosis in general meaning leads to abnormally porous bone that is compressible, like a sponge. This kind of disorder weakens the bone and results in frequent fractures (breaks) and sometimes cracks in the bones. Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen, and calcium, which collectively gives bone its strength to workout. Bones that are affected by osteoporosis can break (fracture) with relatively very minor injury that normally would not cause a bone to fracture, but can be either in the form of cracking (as in a hip fracture) or collapsing (as in a compression fracture of the vertebrae of the spine). The spine, hips, ribs, and wrists are common areas of bone fractures from osteoporosis although osteoporosis-related fractures can occur in almost any skeletal bone of the human body. However, the main question arises that what are the key factors which develops such kind of bodily disorder of the bones. Let’s see some of them below.
To name some of them, the following mentioned causes could be the major risk factors for developing Osteoporosis in human body. They could be as; Female gender, Thin and small body frame, Family history of osteoporosis, Personal history of fracture as an adult, Cigarette smoking, Excessive alcohol consumption, Lack of exercise, low diet in calcium, Poor nutrition and poor general health (especially associated with chronic inflammation or bowel disease), Malabsorption from bowel diseases such as celiac sprue that can be associated with skin diseases such as dermatitis herpetiformis, Low estrogen levels in women (which may occur in menopause or with early surgical removal of both ovaries), Low testosterone levels in men, Chemotherapy (that can cause early menopause due to its toxic effects on the ovaries), Amenorrhea (loss of the menstrual period), Chronic inflammation, Immobility of bones like after a stroke or from any medical condition that obstructs a person with walking, Hyperthyroidism (a condition wherein too much thyroid hormone is produced by the thyroid gland), Hyperparathyroidism (a disease wherein there is excessive parathyroid hormone production by the parathyroid gland). Normally, parathyroid hormone maintains blood calcium levels by removing calcium from the bone. In untreated hyperparathyroidism, excessive parathyroid hormone causes too much removal of calcium from the bone, which can lead to osteoporosis.
Apart from that when there is deficiency of Vitamin D in the body, then the body cannot absorb adequate amounts of calcium from the regular diet intake in order to prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin D deficiency can be occurred due to dietary deficiency, lack of sunlight, or lack of intestinal absorption of the vitamin. Sometimes, some specific medications can also cause osteoporosis. These medicines include long-term use of heparin (a blood thinner), antiseizure medicine such as phenytoin (Dilantin) and phenobarbital, and long-term use of oral corticosteroids (such as prednisone). Inherited or Genetic/hereditary disorders of connective tissue, including osteogenesis imperfecta, homocystinuria, osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome and skin diseases, such as Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome can also be the reason for leading osteoporosis.
Well a diagnosis of osteoporosis is based on the results of one’s bone’s mineral density scan (DEXA or DXA scan), the decision about what treatment a person needs (if required) is also based on a number of other factors. These may include one’s age, sex, risk of fracture, previous injury history etc. If a person has been diagnosed with osteoporosis because of a fracture, then they should still receive treatment to try to reduce the risk of further fractures. They may not need or want to take medication to treat osteoporosis. However, they should ensure that they are maintaining sufficient levels of calcium and vitamin D in their bones.
There are number of different treatments to cure osteoporosis. However, a person should consult the doctor about which treatment is best suitable for them. To name few of them are listed below:
Bisphosphonates: Bisphosphonates slow down the rate at which bone is broken down in the body. This helps in maintaining the bone density and reduces the risk of fracture. There are a number of different bisphosphonates, including alendronate, etidronate, ibandronate, risedronate and olendronic acid which can be provided in the form of a tablet or injection. A person should always take bisphosphonates on an empty stomach with a full glass of water.
Strontium ranelate: Strontium ranelate appears to have an effect on both the cells that break down bone and the cells that create new bone (osteoblasts). It can be used as an alternative treatment if bisphosphonates are unsuitable. Strontium ranelate is taken as a powder which can be easily dissolved in water.
Selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs): SERMs are medications that have a similar effect on bone as the hormone oestrogen. They help to maintain bone density and reduce the risk of fracture, especially of the spine. Raloxifene is the only type of SERM that’s available for treating osteoporosis which could be taken as a tablet every day on a regular basis.
Parathyroid hormone (teriparatide): Parathyroid hormone is produced naturally in the body. It regulates the amount of calcium in bone. Parathyroid hormone treatments (human recombinant parathyroid hormone or teriparatide) are used to stimulate cells that create new bone (osteoblasts). Normally this kind of medication is given by injection.However in some countries these are also given in the form of tablets.
Calcium and vitamin D supplements: Calcium is the major mineral found in bone, and having enough calcium as part of a healthy, balanced diet is important for maintaining healthy bones. For most healthy adults, the recommended amount of calcium is 700 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day, which most people should be able to get from a varied diet that contains good sources of calcium. However, if a person has osteoporosis, then they may need more calcium, which will usually be in the form of supplements. Vitamin D is needed to help the body absorb calcium. All adults should consume 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D a day. Because vitamin D is found only in a small number of foods, it might be difficult to get enough from foods that naturally contain vitamin D and/or fortified foods alone. So all adults should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10mcg of vitamin D. Apart from this, a good exposure of the human body to natural sunlight can also help in gaining Vitamin D.
Hence from the above I believe a person can gain ample knowledge of preventing themselves from osteoporosis; and if they get diagnosed of it, at least they can help themselves of getting the best medication possible.
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