It is not secret that there is a lot of debate and confusion in defining osteopenia and osteoporosis as well as the treatment of the condition. Current thinking is tending to believe that bones do not fracture due to thinness alone.
There seems to be agreement on what osteoporosis is and is not. The website www.womentowomen .com states the following in a recent report by Dr. Susan E. Brown: Osteoporosis is not:*just thin bones *normal aging bone-loss *common all over the world * a female disorder *a disorder of just the elderly *an isolated disorder.
Osteoporosis is:*thin and substandard bone *a degenerative disease *common only in westernized countries * becoming more common among the young * an intelligent bodily response to the stress of long-term imbalance * one manifestation of systemic breakdown.
Dr. Brown believes that any definition of osteoporosis should contain these five criteria: *low bone mass *architectural deterioration *bone fragility *poor self-repair and *higher susceptibility to fracture.
Research and clinical studies at Johns Hopkins University show that calcium is needed for healthy bones, however how much calcium is needed is being questioned. Other studies have identified that there are other important factors that must be considered such as: the amount of exposure to sunlight, exercise, genetics, bone-depleting behaviors such as high protein, sugar, fat and salt intake and tobacacco, alcohol or presciption drug use and abuse. If a women has had ovary and uterus removal, that also is a consideration of the amount of calcium needed.
Most healthy people lose bone mass as they age. Various reports state that the "remaining bone should be healthy and capable of constant self-repair". We are reminded that bone density tests cannot measure how your bones repair themselves...density tests only measure density of the bones.
It appears that thinking is shifting regarding understanding bone health and osteoporosis. In an article to follow, I will report on some of the latest findings on treating osteopenia and osteoporosis. Because I have arthritis issues and a recent bone density diagnosis of osteopenia, I am interested in new research information on the causes and treatment of the condition.
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