One in three women and one in five men aged 50 years and over suffers an osteoporotic fracture.
Approximately, 200 million people all over the world suffer from Osteoporosis.
World Osteoporosis Day is observed annually on October 20th, this day is dedicated to give awareness about the causes, effects and treatment of osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a condition whereby the bone mass is diminished through the years. It causes bones to become weak and fragile, so that they break easily ,even as a result of a minor fall, a bump, a sneeze, or a sudden movement. Fractures caused by osteoporosis can be life-threatening and a major cause of pain and long-term disability.
What makes Osteoporosis so dangerous is the fact that there are no observable signs or symptoms when it begins to affect the bones.
In its most severe state, the condition is debilitating with the bones becoming extremely brittle and weak.
Unfortunately, Osteoporosis is under diagnosed all over the world, and a person may not be aware that she or he has Osteoporosis until a fracture occurs.
It affects females six times more than males. Due to hormonal changes which females experience during menopause, rate of bone loss in a female greatly increases after that phase.
TREATMENT OF OSTEOPOROSIS
•Current Osteoporosis treatments are predominantly bone-resorbing drugs that are associated with several side effects.
•The use of stem cells for tissue regeneration has raised great hope in musculoskeletal disorders like osteoporosis.
•Stem cell therapy for osteoporosis could potentially reduce the susceptibility of fractures and lost mineral density by either increasing the numbers or restoring the function of resident stem cells that can proliferate and differentiate into bone-forming cells.
- The main hurdle with cell-based osteoporosis therapy is the uncertainty of stem cell fate and bio distribution, following cell transplantation.
PREVENTING OSTEOPOROSIS
Thanks to the advancement in medical science, we now know a lot about bone diseases in general and Osteoporosis in particular. Making some simple changes to your lifestyle and diet, with the proper combination of diet, exercise, therapy, and supplementation, osteoporosis is a preventable condition.
- Get calcium and vitamin D:
Your body cannot produce these 2 vital nutrients and so depend on the food you eat. Calcium is used to build and maintain bone structure while vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium efficiently. Good sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products and fruit juices with added calcium. Egg yolks, saltwater fish and milk are rich sources of Vitamin D.
- Exercise regularly:
Bones become stronger with exercise. The best exercises for healthy bones are strength-building and weight-bearing, such as walking, jogging or skipping rope. You should try to get 30 minutes of exercise each day to reduce the risk of Osteoporosis.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle:
Smoking and drinking soda drinks results in deterioration of bone health and heightens the risk of Osteoporosis.
- Talk to your doctor:
Go to your doctor and discuss your risk factors and he can help you take the necessary steps to prevent bone loss due to Osteoporosis.
We all should make our bone health a priority especially girls, because maintaining strong bones and muscles is the key to an active, mobile future at older age.
Love your Bones,Protect your future and don’t let Osteoporosis Break you.
