Getting adequate calcium
and vitamin D is an important factor in reducing your risk of osteoporosis.
If you already have osteoporosis, getting adequate calcium and vitamin
D, as well as taking other measures, can help prevent your bones
from becoming weaker. In some cases you may even be able to replace
bone you've lost.
The amount of calcium
you need to stay healthy changes over your lifetime. Your body's
demand for calcium is greatest during childhood and adolescence,
when your skeleton is growing rapidly, and during pregnancy and
breast-feeding. Postmenopausal women and older men also need to
consume more calcium. As you age, your body becomes less efficient
at absorbing calcium, and you're more likely to take Osteoporosis
Medications that interfere with calcium absorption.
How much calcium
and vitamin D?
Premenopausal women and postmenopausal women who use HT should consume
at least 1,200 milligrams (mg) of calcium and a minimum of 400 international
units (IU) of vitamin D every day. Postmenopausal women not using
HT, anyone at risk of steroid-induced osteoporosis, and all men
and women over 65 should aim for 1,500 mg of calcium and at least
800 IU of vitamin D daily. Getting enough vitamin D is just as important
as getting adequate amounts of calcium. Not only does vitamin D
improve bone health by helping calcium absorption, but it also may
improve muscle strength. Scientists are continuing to study vitamin
D — which may also protect against certain types of cancer
— to determine the optimal daily dose, but it’s safe
to take up to 2,000 IU a day.
Although many people
get adequate amounts of vitamin D from sunlight, this may not be
a good source if you live in high latitudes, if you're housebound,
or if you regularly use sunscreen or you avoid the sun entirely
because of the risk of skin cancer. Although vitamin D is present
in oily fish such as tuna and sardines and in egg yolks, you probably
don't eat these on a daily basis. Calcium supplements with added
vitamin D are a good alternative.
A significant and often
overlooked risk factor in the development of osteoporosis is the
use of certain Osteoporosis Medications to treat chronic medical
conditions.
Osteoporosis Medications
are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, an under active thyroid,
seizure disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders may have side
effects that can increase bone loss and lead to osteoporosis.
Some of these Osteoporosis
Medications are:
1. Corticosteroids:
This class of drugs can cause bone to be removed faster than it
is formed, so bone loss occurs and bones become weaker. Therefore,
maintaining bone mass is important to keep your bones healthy.
Medicines such as cortisone or prednisone are used to treat a
variety of conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, autoimmune
diseases, asthma, and following transplantations.
2. Thyroid hormones
(excessive)
3. Seizure medicine
(anticonvulsants)
4. Antacids containing
aluminum
5. Heparin used to
prevent blood clots
6. Cholestyramine taken
to control blood cholesterol levels
Talk with your health
care provider about your bone health, pay attention to how much
calcium and vitamin D you get each day (at least 1200 mg of calcium
and 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D) and keep your bones fit with regular
exercise.
