Osteoporosis is a disease that occurs when you lose too much bone, make too little of it or both. The more bone you have at the time before bone loss starts, the better protected you will be against weak bones. As your bones become less dense, they get weaker and break more easily.
The problem with osteoporosis isn’t just that it causes broken bones. The problem is when you’re older, breaking a bone is serious. It often starts a downward spiral of pain, disability and the loss of independence.
Osteoporosis is a very common disease
Ten million Americans already have osteoporosis, and more than triple that number are at high risk. Eighty percent of those who have the disease are women. In fact, a woman’s risk of breaking a hip due to osteoporosis is equal to her combined risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer.
Many people – including health professionals – mistakenly think of osteoporosis as a woman’s disease. But think about it: if 8 of the 10 million people who have osteoporosis are women, then 2 million men have it, too. This might surprise you, but a man older than 50 is more likely to break a bone due to osteoporosis than he is to get prostate cancer.
The following five steps can optimize bone health and help prevent osteoporosis:
¨ Get the daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D
¨ Engage in regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercise
¨ Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol
¨ Talk to your healthcare provider about bone health
¨ Have a bone density test and take medication when appropriate
Osteoporosis is a disease you can do something about. It can be prevented, detected and treated.
