Calcium and osteoporosis

OSTEOPOROSIS

 Definition of disease

Osteoporosis is a disease which affects the skeleton and is characterized by several factors such as the reduced bone mass, microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, as well as skeletal disorders that contribute to compromising its resistance. These factors favor the affected individual increased bone fragility and a higher susceptibility to fractures.

People most at risk are elderly because aging per se leads to higher bone deterioration, but the disease can also affect women in a relatively early age, especially those who have reached menopause, because it is precisely in this period that is not the action taken by estrogen - the female sex hormones - in order to counteract the progression of this disease.

Osteoporosis, therefore, also in relation to the continued aging of the population is steadily increasing and, for serious consequences, is considered a social disease.

Symptoms and consequences of osteoporosis

 Osteoporosis is asymptomatic, unfortunately - that does not provide specific symptoms, apart from some feeling of pain in bone, which, therefore, should never be underestimated - it is progressive and potentially disabling. It manifests itself with that which is its most common and most serious complication, ie, a fracture, spontaneous or following a fall. The most frequent sites of fracture are the spine in the back-back (over 46%), femur and wrist. The female is significantly more affected than men (one in three women above 50 years of age) and hip fractures are more common in women over 75 years. The fracture of the femur is associated with important medical consequences, which go beyond mere injury to bone. Such damage is accompanied, in fact, pain, loss of functional autonomy, and may result in admission to institutions of rehabilitation and long-term hospitalization. Remember that people who have suffered a fracture of the femur showed an increase in mortality from 2 to 4 times higher compared to subjects who had no fractures.

Risk factors for osteoporosis

The loss of bone mass, than the peak achieved by a healthy person, can be determined, up to 70%, by genetic factors. It has been noted, in fact, a structural resemblance between mother / daughter and mother / grandmother, with regard to the femur and spine were examined by X-rays.

The presence nell'anamnesi of a patient suffering from osteoporosis, a family who have suffered the same disease is also confirmed by further investigations by means of densitometry examinations. If the peak bone mass attained in youth is high if the loss is slow and do not worry. If capital is not high and the initial bone loss is rapid (or worse both at once) to be put in place adequate measures.

We must, however, consider that there are other factors that can influence the level of bone mass of a person, such as nutritional, hormonal, related to physical activity, etc..

Here are two tables that highlight the most important risk factors regarding the likelihood of the occurrence of the disease of osteoporosis:

Risk factors likely

 - Early menopause (before age 45)

 - High consumption of alcohol

 - Postmenopausal women with a family history of osteoporotic fractures probably from

 - Inadequate intake of calcium

 - Low weight / height in postmenopausal women

 - smoke

 - Oophorectomy premenopausal

 - High ratio of protein / phosphate feeding

 - Premenopausal amenorrhea

 - High consumption of coffee

 - Prolonged immobilization

 - Use of corticosteroids


Read more The prevention of osteoporosis