Seven out of 10 American women will have osteopenia or osteoporosis in their lifetime, and statistics show that bone conditions predominantly affect women more than men, especially menopausal and postmenopausal women.
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conditions → have → men
Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein, an orthopedic surgeon at Duke University School of Medicine who specializes in the relationship between menopause and bone health, says it's important to be aware of the risk sooner than many women think.
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women → specialize → risk
"One of the major issues is that people think about their bone health later in life," Wittstein said, "after they've sustained a fracture.
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they → think → fracture
Those fractures could be an indication that someone has weak bones, also known as osteopenia, which could progress to the far more serious disease of osteoporosis.
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which → know → osteoporosis
"It's a silent disease until it's not silent," Wittstein said.
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Wittstein → say → ?
You may not be able to feel your bones get weaker as you age, but it's happening at an accelerated rate the closer a woman gets to menopause.
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woman → feel → menopause
So, the question is: What can we do to protect our bones, to prevent or at least slow the progression of bone density loss?
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we → do → loss
Here's what Wittstein wants women to know:
Don't wait to get a DEXA scan
Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, or DEXA, scans measure a person's bone mineral density with a "T-score," which compares your bone density to that of a healthy 30-year-old.
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which → want → old
The scan is a primary way to identify osteopenia and osteoporosis.
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scan → identify → osteopenia
Your T-score says it all.
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score → say → it
If it's negative 1 to negative 2.5, that's called osteopenia, and if it's worse than negative 2.5, that's osteoporosis," Wittstein explained.
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Wittstein → call → 2.5
I had a DEXA scan last year and came out with a T-score of 0.1.
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I → have → 0.1
The DEXA scan was simple and took about 15 minutes.
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scan → take → minutes
Identifying weak bones as soon as possible is vital in slowing and stopping the progression of osteopenia so that it doesn't develop into osteoporosis.
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it → identify → osteoporosis
But Wittstein believes women are getting their first scans later than they should.
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they → believe → scans
Based on her experience, she said women are "not normally prescribed or given DEXA scans until 65."
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women → base → 65
But she believes women should get the scan at the menopause transition, around 50 or 51 years old, on average.
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women → believe → transition
"I think where it's critically important is the menopause transition," for when women should start asking for DEXA scans, Wittstein said.
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Wittstein → think → scans
Diet and exercise are your first line of defense
Wittstein suggests that if you want to strengthen your bones and slow the rate at which your bone density decreases, start incorporating strength training and impact exercises into your movement routine.
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density → suggest → routine
These intense movements signal your body to build stronger tissue around the bone.
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body → signal → bone
Having strong bones will improve your balance, which is a huge factor in reducing your risk of falls and fractures.
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which → have → falls
A fracture might not sound fatal to women under 65, but some data shows "approximately 30% of people who break a hip will die" within one to two years, Wittstein cautioned.
Strong bones fortified by strength training keep older women stable on their feet, reducing fall risk and thus lowering the likelihood of a fracture from falls.
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bones → sound → falls
You don't need to be experienced at the gym to reap the benefits either.
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You → need → benefits
Wittstein recommended women "find the entry point you can tolerate" and increase your load as your body strengthens.
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body → recommend → load
"Something is always better than nothing," she said.
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she → say → nothing
Get enough micronutrients like calcium, vitamin D
What you eat is equally important in maintaining bone health.
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eat → get → health
Calcium has long been touted as the primary mineral for bone health, but Wittstein wants people to know calcium is not the only supplement we should focus on if we want to keep our bones strong.
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we → tout → bones
In fact, several micronutrients work together to fortify our bones.
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micronutrients → work → bones
Vitamin D might be an unsung hero of bone health as it absorbs calcium, making it more efficient in strengthening bones.
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it → absorb → bones
Fatty fish like salmon, eggs and, of course, sun exposure are good natural sources of vitamin D.
Going a step further, Wittstein noted vitamin K and magnesium also play roles in bone health.
"Magnesium helps activate vitamin D," which absorbs the calcium we get from our diet, she said.
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she → go → diet
"Then the vitamin K helps direct it to bone for mineralization," which is when the fortification of our bones occurs.
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fortification → help → bones
Fiber is the last piece of the puzzle, but just as important due to its anti-inflammatory capabilities, Wittstein says.
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Wittstein → say → capabilities
So, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is essential for maintaining bone health.
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diet → maintain → health
Wittstein suggests 600-800 units of vitamin D per day if you have a deficiency, as well as taking 1,000 milligrams of calcium and 300-400 milligrams of magnesium daily to round out a bone-supporting routine.
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you → suggest → routine
As always, consult your primary care doctor to better understand your body's needs in terms of vitamin and mineral deficiency.
Consider hormone therapy to reduce bone density loss
Menopausal
, also known as , is prescribed primarily to treat symptoms of menopause in women, but studies show there might be additional benefits.
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studies → consult → women
Not all women should take HRT, and always consult your doctor before changing your health regimen.
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women → take → regimen
Our bones change throughout our lifespan.
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bones → change → lifespan
Women in particular experience drastic shifts in their bone density levels around menopause.
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Women → experience → menopause
Our bones are typically the strongest in our 30s, by which time "we accrue 90% of our bone density," Wittstein said.
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Wittstein → accrue → density
What follows is a "gradual decline" until about two years before menopause, when there is an acceleration of bone density loss.
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follows → follow → loss
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
