All women are at risk of developing osteoporosis, but some are at higher risk than others. The time to work on prevention is now, and the key is knowing your risks.
Osteoporosis, a disease that causes serious thinning and fragility of the bones, strikes far more women than men. Fortunately, today we can prevent osteoporosis, if we start soon enough.
What women should know
At the Oregon Osteoporosis Center, we make an initial assessment of a woman's risk for osteoporosis based on the following clinical risk factors:
Thin body build
Family history of fractures
Low calcium intake
Late onset of menopause
Non-use of estrogen since menopause
Presence of other medical problems that predispose to bone loss
Bone density testing may also be helpful in women thought to be at risk.
Armed with this information, a woman and her physician can develop an appropriately aggressive prevention plan.
What women can do
No matter what your risk, it is in your best interests to reduce any risk factors that are within your control. If you smoke, quit. If you don't exercise regularly, start walking. If you avoid dairy products, increase your calcium intake from other food sources or through supplements. Women should get a minimum of 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, or 1,500 if they are postmenopausal. A daily multivitamin can supplement your vitamin D, which helps you retain calcium.
For women at low risk, this strategy is probably enough. But women with higher degrees of risk should be more aggressive in their prevention efforts. Estrogen replacement, non-estrogen alternatives and other preventions should be discussed with your physician.
What Providence is doing
Part of the Providence Health & Services, the Oregon Osteoporosis Center is recognized as a national center for osteoporosis research and education. Research at the center contributed to the FDA's approval of new drugs called Fosamax and Actonel for the treatment of osteoporosis. These bone-specific drugs have been proven to increase bone density and strength, reducing fractures of the hip and spine by 50 percent over three years.
Michael McClung, M.D., an endocrinologist, is director of the Oregon Osteoporosis Center and editor in chief of the National Osteoporosis Foundation Clinical Newsletter.
