Breaky Bones

Did you know…?
It is estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 worldwide have osteoporosis. It is responsible for millions of fractures annually, mostly involving the lumbar vertebrae, hip, and wrist.
Hip fractures are responsible for the most serious consequences of osteoporosis. In the United States, osteoporosis causes a predisposition to more than 250,000 hip fractures yearly.
An estimated 700,000 women have a first vertebral fracture each year. The lifetime risk of a clinically detected symptomatic vertebral fracture is about 15% in a 50-year-old woman.

Treatment
The underlying mechanism in all cases of osteoporosis is an imbalance between bone absorption and bone formation. Either bone absorption is excessive, or bone formation is diminished. Achieving a higher peak bone mass through exercise and proper nutrition during adolescence is important for the prevention of osteoporosis.
Patients at risk for osteoporosis (e.g. those with excessive steroid use) are generally treated with Vitamin D and calcium supplements. In renal disease, a different form of Vitamin D (1.25 dihydroxycholecalciferol) is used, as the kidney cannot adequately activate vitamin D from precursors. In osteoporosis (or a patients with a very high risk), bisphosphonate drugs are prescribed.
To aid in the prevention of osteoporosis, women aged eight to 18, need 1,300mg a day of calcium, while women aged 19 to 50, need 1,000mg. Women older than 50 years need 1,200mg of calcium a day.