Prevention of Osteoporosis

This article starts below.

The following are considered the main components for the primary prevention of osteoporosis:

Maintain an adequate calcium and vitamin D intake. Calcium is the nutrient most important for attaining peak bone mass and for preventing and treating post-menopausal osteoporosis. The Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Philippines recommends 800 mg/day of calcium and 10-15 micrograms/day of vitamin D for men and women over the age of 50.
Perform regular load-bearing activity. Exercise and activity program are only one component of a comprehensive program for the prevention of osteoporosis. Exercise benefits include decreased risk of falling, improved bone mass and strength, enhanced muscle strength, improved balance, better posture, increased flexibility of soft tissues, better range of motion, improved cardiovascular fitness, improved depression, and a better quality of life.
Smoking cessation. Excessive bone loss occurs in smokers. Smoking has been reported to impair osteoblast or bone forming cell function, resulting to early menopause, lower body weight, and lower estrogen levels. Poor calcium absorption found in postmenopausal women who smoke is caused by a decrease in serum parathyroid hormone, leading to decreased activation of vitamin D.
Avoid alcoholism. Alcohol consumption has also been associated with osteoporosis. There has been reports on the relationship between average number of drinks per day and bone density in premenopausal women.
Fall prevention. Walking aids such as canes and walkers allow continued independent mobility in many elderly patients, but care must be used to avoid falls during their use. Hip strengthening exercises and the slow movement martial arts exercise, Tai Chi, have been shown to improve several physical performance measures and psychosocial indicators as well as lowering the risk of falls by 40 percent.
Hip protectors. Hip protective pads, worn in side pockets of stretchy undergarments, protect against hip fractures in an elderly nursing home population (average age 81 years). While regular use and compliance is another issue, these devices are considered for elderly individuals at risk for hip fracture.