Start caring for your bones now to build a strong foundation for life. As we age, our bones naturally start to lose density and strength. In fact, one in three women over the age of 50 will experience a broken bone caused by poor bone health.
Older women are more susceptible to osteoporosis due to changes in hormone levels during menopause. The decline in oestrogen leads to bone loss, but there are many things women can do to keep their bones healthy and strong. Taking action early is essential.
Risk factors
The peak time for bone thinning is postmenopause. During this time, you should talk to your GP about your osteoporosis risk. Factors to discuss will include family history, if you’re a smoker, alcohol intake, and whether you might be deficient in calcium and sunshine – vitamin D.
Bone disease can be difficult to spot.
Osteoporosis is often called “the silent disease” because there are no symptoms. Normally, the first sign is a broken bone. Family history is a strong indicator of risk, so if your mum had a bone disease, you could also be susceptible to it. Other factors include early menopause, lifestyle – such as low body weight, excessive drinking or smoking – low calcium intake and low vitamin D levels. There are certain medical conditions, such as coeliac disease, and some breast cancer treatments that can put you at risk. Use of steroids long-term can be a risk.
Bone density tests
A bone density test can determine the state of your bone health. If you are over 50 and have osteoporosis risk factors, talk to your GP about having a bone density test. The test takes 10 to 15 minutes and is painless. You will remain fully clothed and a scan will be taken of your hips and spine, which will reveal if you have osteopenia – low bone density that can lead to full-blown osteoporosis.
Treatment options
If you do have bone loss, there are ways to fight back. You can stave off osteoporosis by adjusting your lifestyle, such as carrying out weight-bearing exercise, properly managing your diet and, if necessary, taking calcium and vitamin D supplements. If you have osteoporosis, the right medications can stop you breaking a bone. Most osteoporosis medicines work by making the cells that break down bone – osteoclasts – less active while allowing the cells that form new bone – osteoblasts – to remain active. This reduces bone loss and increases bone strength gradually.
Stay fit and lift
Preventing or managing osteoporosis is cheap and simple. Basically, it’s getting plenty of calcium plus sunshine and doing weight-bearing exercise. Try to do weight-bearing exercise four to six times a week for 30 minutes. Also try resistance or strength training, skipping, dancing, golf, t’ai chi, tennis, squash or brisk walking.
Eat for better bones
Nutrition is essential for good bone health. Bone-friendly diets are based on getting enough calcium. When you don’t consume enough, the body has to take calcium from your bones to provide for a healthy functioning heart, blood and nerves. Experts recommend that adults have 1000mg of calcium daily. This equates to, roughly, a glass of milk (250ml), a yoghurt (200g), plus a slice of cheese. Over the age of 50 – or if you have osteoporosis or osteopenia – the amount increases to 1300mg. Plenty of non-dairy options, such as tofu, nuts, salmon and leafy greens, are full of calcium. But be aware you need to eat a lot more to reach the required daily amount. Consider a mix of these foods and dairy or a supplement.
My sunshine
Vitamin D forms in the skin when it’s exposed to UV from sunlight. Low levels of it can lead to brittle bones. If your GP suspects low levels, they might order you a simple blood test and recommend you take a vitamin D supplement. But most people can get enough through a safe amount of time in the sun, avoiding peak UV periods.
