Myths about
Osteoporosis
"Osteoporosis is
just a natural part of aging."
Osteoporosis and aging have a correlation relationship, not
a causation relationship. Lifestyle
changes, caused by decreasing mechanical loading on the body, force prevalence of
this disease in the aging populations, but the disease is not caused by aging
in itself. This is one of the most common misconceptions about osteoporosis:
That we are all DOOMED to futures of being hunched over or suffering from
broken hips. Osteoporosis is a degradation in bone density, and it can be
significantly affected by high-impact levels of axial mechanical loading.
"I take calcium
so I don't have to worry about osteoporosis."
There are actually 17 nutrients that are critical for bone
health, and calcium is just one of them.
However, the misconception of calcium being the answer to the
osteoporosis problem has led many to take calcium dietary supplements in
excess, which not only does not solve the bone health problem but creates other
adverse health conditions such as increased risk of kidney stones (Curhan, et
al., 1997). Even when the body is given all of the proper nutrients for bone
health, these are just building blocks. The function of bone tissue increasing
in mass or gaining in density is using these building blocks only as an adaptive
response to a stimulus. So without the stimulus for the adaptive response, the
body cannot use these building blocks.
The function of bone mass density generation involves axial bone
loading. Once intense loading happens, the bone mass genesis (osteoblast) begin
to retain minerals, and bone mass becomes more dense.
"I exercise, so
I don't have to worry about osteoporosis."
The mechanics of running include a heal strike impact,
resulting in three to four time as much force as the body weight of the
individual, depending on speed (Heinonen, et al., 1996). For this reason, more
injuries result from running or impact-type fitness activity than non-weight
bearing exercise. This has forced many physicians to encourage low-impact or
non-weight bearing exercise (such as cycling) for older individuals (Hopkins,
et al., 1990, Robinsion, et al., 1998, Rector, et al., 2008) in order to
prevent osteoporosis. In 2008 a study was published comparing bone health in
adult male recreational athletes, aged 20-59, belonging to two groups, one
group being cyclists (non-weight bearing exercisers), the other group being
runners, (weight-bearing exercisers), whose impact loads are beyond their body
weight. Of the cyclists 63% had Osteopenia of the spine or hip (determined by
DXA scans), compared with only 19% in the running group. "Cyclists were 7
TIMES more likely to have Osteopenia of the spine than runners, controlling for
age, body weight, and bone-loading history. Based on the results of this study,
current bone loading is an important determinant of whole-body and lumbar spine
bone mass density. Therefore, bone-loading activity should be sustained during
adulthood to maintain bone mass." (Rector, et al., 2008)
"I will only be
concerned with this disease after I break a bone, which isn't that BIG of a
deal."
Individuals with osteoporosis can be asymptomatic (no pain
or warning), with diagnosis of osteoporosis only after a fracture. Obviously
this is not desirable or logical. Cooper, et al. reported that individuals over
the age of 50 who break the hip or femur head have a higher mortality in the
year following their fracture resulting from their immobility during the
recover (1993). In 1993 the Mayo Clinic did a retrospective analysis of osteoporotic
vertebral fracture patients. At five years' post-diagnosis of the fracture, the survival
rate was 61%. "Clinically diagnosed vertebral fractures are rarely fatal,
and the reduced survival seen subsequently could relate to comorbid conditions."
(Cooper, et al., 1993) This means the presence of other diseases or disorders
can contribute to the higher death rate, and the inability to move or fully use
lung capacity, raise heart rate, or use nutrients properly compounds risk.
"One of my
parents had Osteoporosis; I suppose I am going to have it also."
There are genetic indicators for this disease. However as
the disease involves a lack of axial loading being imposed on the body, both
the onset and degree of the disease can be delayed significantly. Genetic predisposition
is one contributing factor to the disease. Others include the following
(Ralston, 2005):
·
Certain kidney diseases
·
Vitamin D deficiency
·
Some hormonal diseases, such as some thyroid
disorders
·
Cushing's Syndrome
·
Treatment with steroids for certain medical
conditions
·
Certain types of cancer (related to Chemo
Therapy treatment)
"I am male, and
this is a disease that affects females; therefore, I have nothing to worry about."
Though it is more prevalent in women, men can certainly be
affected by osteoporosis. The International Osteoporosis Foundation estimates
that, in the United States, almost two million men have osteoporosis and
another three million are at risk (IOF, 2010). No different from women, osteoporotic
men suffer from osteoporotic fractures in hips, spine, wrists, and other bones.
"I will look
into osteoporosis when I am older; I am too young to worry about it now."
Looking at bone mass is not simple. Bone mass increases or
decreases depend on the levels of proper loading stimulus. Commonly, younger
individuals receive more axial loading of the bone mass, therefore achieving a
higher level of bone mass density. When the individual stops inducing high-impact
level loads, the result is degradation of bone mass, but this process can take
years. Individuals who ignore the lack of axial mechanical loading being placed
on the skeletal system can begin degradation of bone mass density. Ultimately,
when the individual does finally address the issue, bone mass is already low,
and attempting to load the body via conventional exercise modalities becomes
more difficult and has an elevated chance of fracture.
More importantly, up to 90% of bone mass is created during
childhood and adolescence. A specific example would be the bone mass density
differences in both lumbar spine and femoral neck. During puberty the mass
density of bone tissue can increase from four to six times in both males and
females. This is the period when both size and density of the skeleton grows.
This phenomenon, called "peak bone mass" can continue to develop up
to the age of thirty. Typically, bone mass begins to slowly decline, then
accelerates at the onset of menopause for women. Considering that most of the
bone age of thirty, it would make sense to have individuals focus on maximal
bone loading from adolescence on. The greater the bone mass is at the time of
peak bone mass, the higher the bone mass will be later decades of life.
To find out how to increase your bone density and reverse loss of bone density call today at 717-263-6101 and speak with Dr. Bryan. Visit: www.chambersburg.bstrong4life.com to get more information.
This information comes from the book, Osteogenic Loading: A new modality to facilitate bone density development. By John Jaquish Ph. D the inventor/developer of bioDensity, Raj Singh, MD, Eleanor Hynote, MD, Jason Conviser, Ph.D.
