Calcium deficiency disease (hypocalcemia): 7 symptoms and causes

Hypocalcemia, also known as calcium deficiency disease, occurs when the blood has low levels of calcium.

A long-term calcium deficiency can lead to dental changes, cataracts, alterations in the brain, and osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become brittle.

A calcium deficiency may cause no early symptoms. It is usually mild, but without treatment, it can become life threatening.

In this article, we describe how to prevent or treat calcium deficiency disease. We also describe its symptoms and who is at risk.

Calcium is essential for many bodily functions, so a deficiency can have widespread effects, including on the muscles, bones, and teeth, as well as on mental health.

If a low dietary intake is responsible for the deficiency, there are usually no early symptoms. In the longer term, a person may experience osteopenia, or low bone density. Without treatment, this can lead to osteoporosis, or brittle bones.

However, the diet is not usually responsible — a calcium deficiency primarily results from health problems or treatments, such as kidney failure, the removal of the stomach, or the use of certain medications, such as diuretics.

The following sections look at symptoms of a calcium deficiency in more detail.

Muscle problems

A person with a calcium deficiency may experience:

• muscle aches, cramps, and spasms
• pain in the thighs and arms when walking or moving
• numbness and tingling in the hands, arms, feet, and legs, as well as around the mouth

These symptoms may come and go, but they do not tend to disappear with activity.

More extreme sensations may indicate a more severe deficiency, which can also lead to:

• convulsions
• arrhythmias
• death

Extreme fatigue

Low levels of calcium can cause extreme fatigue, which involves a lack of energy and an overall feeling of sluggishness. It can also lead to insomnia.

Fatigue associated with a calcium deficiency can also involve lightheadedness, dizziness, and brain fog — characterized by a lack of focus, forgetfulness, and confusion.

Nail and skin symptoms

A lasting calcium deficiency can cause:

• dry skin
• dry, broken, or brittle nails
• coarse hair
• alopecia, which causes hair to fall out in patches
• eczema, or skin inflammation that can lead to itchy or dry patches
• psoriasis

Osteopenia and osteoporosis

The bones store calcium well, but they require high levels to stay strong. When overall levels of calcium are low, the body can divert some from the bones, making them brittle and prone to injury.

Over time, having too little calcium can cause osteopenia, a reduction of mineral density in the bones.

This can lead to osteoporosis, which causes the bones to thin and become vulnerable to fractures, as well as pain and problems with posture.

It can take takes years for osteoporosis and other complications of a calcium deficiency to develop.

Severe PMS

Low calcium levels have been linked to severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Participants in one 2017 study reported improved mood and reduced rates of fluid retention after taking 500 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily for 2 months.

In 2019, researchers concluded that low levels of vitamin D and calcium during the second half of the menstrual cycle might contribute to symptoms of PMS. The team proposed that supplements may help relieve the symptoms.

Dental problems

When the body lacks calcium, it pulls it from sources such as the teeth. This can lead to dental problems, including:

• tooth decay
• brittle teeth
• irritated gums
• weak tooth roots

Also, a calcium deficiency in an infant can impair tooth development.

Depression

Some evidence suggests that calcium deficiency may be linked with mood disorders, including depression, though confirming this will require further research.

Anyone who suspects that a calcium deficiency is contributing to symptoms of depression should consult a doctor. After checking the person’s calcium levels, the doctor may recommend a calcium supplement.

For more in-depth resources about vitamins, minerals, and supplements, visit our dedicated hub.

Anyone experiencing symptoms of a calcium deficiency should speak with a doctor. They can order tests and check the levels of calcium in the blood.

Doctors define hypocalcemia, or a calcium deficiency, as blood calcium concentrations of below 8.8 milligrams per deciliter.

The recommended dietary allowance of calcium for adults aged 19–50 is 1,000 mg.

Older adults need more, however: Females aged at least 51 and males aged at least 71 should be consuming 1,200 mg of calcium per day.

While health experts have yet to establish exactly how common this deficiency is, groups with a higher risk include:

In the United States, females older than 4 years, and especially adolescent females, and males aged 9–18 years or older than 51 years may also have a higher risk of a deficiency.

According to estimates published in 2015, 3.5 billion people worldwide are at risk of a calcium deficiency, due to a low dietary intake.

Meanwhile, in 2013, researchers in the United Kingdom reported that calcium deficiency is still common among people with chronic illnesses.

Three years later, researchers in Pakistan reported that among 252 female participants aged 18–51, 41% reported deficiencies of calcium and vitamin D, and 78% reported symptoms consistent with these deficiencies, including pain in the back, legs, and joints.

Overall, females are less likely to get enough calcium from their diets than males. Many females have low levels without knowing it.

Calcium deficiency has been linked to:

• dental problems
• depression
• various skin conditions
• chronic joint and muscle pain
• fractures
• seizures
• disability

The safest and easiest way to treat or prevent a calcium deficiency is to add more calcium to the diet.

Some calcium-rich foods include:

• dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
• beans
• figs
• broccoli
• tofu
• soy milk
• spinach
• fortified cereals
• nuts and seeds, including almonds and sesame seeds

Learn more about vegan dietary sources of calcium.

Before taking calcium supplements, talk to a doctor. Taking in too much calcium, an issue called hypercalcemia, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, and other serious health problems.

When a deficiency is severe or when supplements and dietary adjustments are not achieving sufficient results, a doctor may prescribe calcium injections.

A calcium deficiency may result from dietary factors, health issues, or medical treatments.

The best approach is to add more calcium to the diet. When this is not possible, a doctor may recommend supplements, either as oral tablets or injections.

Most people who receive treatment experience an improvement in symptoms within a few weeks.

Calcium deficiency disease (hypocalcemia): 7 symptoms and causes

Hypocalcemia, also known as calcium deficiency disease, occurs when the blood has low levels of calcium.

A long-term calcium deficiency can lead to dental changes, cataracts, alterations in the brain, and osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become brittle.

A calcium deficiency may cause no early symptoms. It is usually mild, but without treatment, it can become life threatening.

In this article, we describe how to prevent or treat calcium deficiency disease. We also describe its symptoms and who is at risk.

Calcium is essential for many bodily functions, so a deficiency can have widespread effects, including on the muscles, bones, and teeth, as well as on mental health.

If a low dietary intake is responsible for the deficiency, there are usually no early symptoms. In the longer term, a person may experience osteopenia, or low bone density. Without treatment, this can lead to osteoporosis, or brittle bones.

However, the diet is not usually responsible — a calcium deficiency primarily results from health problems or treatments, such as kidney failure, the removal of the stomach, or the use of certain medications, such as diuretics.

The following sections look at symptoms of a calcium deficiency in more detail.

Muscle problems

A person with a calcium deficiency may experience:

• muscle aches, cramps, and spasms
• pain in the thighs and arms when walking or moving
• numbness and tingling in the hands, arms, feet, and legs, as well as around the mouth

These symptoms may come and go, but they do not tend to disappear with activity.

More extreme sensations may indicate a more severe deficiency, which can also lead to:

• convulsions
• arrhythmias
• death

Extreme fatigue

Low levels of calcium can cause extreme fatigue, which involves a lack of energy and an overall feeling of sluggishness. It can also lead to insomnia.

Fatigue associated with a calcium deficiency can also involve lightheadedness, dizziness, and brain fog — characterized by a lack of focus, forgetfulness, and confusion.

Nail and skin symptoms

A lasting calcium deficiency can cause:

• dry skin
• dry, broken, or brittle nails
• coarse hair
• alopecia, which causes hair to fall out in patches
• eczema, or skin inflammation that can lead to itchy or dry patches
• psoriasis

Osteopenia and osteoporosis

The bones store calcium well, but they require high levels to stay strong. When overall levels of calcium are low, the body can divert some from the bones, making them brittle and prone to injury.

Over time, having too little calcium can cause osteopenia, a reduction of mineral density in the bones.

This can lead to osteoporosis, which causes the bones to thin and become vulnerable to fractures, as well as pain and problems with posture.

It can take takes years for osteoporosis and other complications of a calcium deficiency to develop.

Severe PMS

Low calcium levels have been linked to severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Participants in one 2017 study reported improved mood and reduced rates of fluid retention after taking 500 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily for 2 months.

In 2019, researchers concluded that low levels of vitamin D and calcium during the second half of the menstrual cycle might contribute to symptoms of PMS. The team proposed that supplements may help relieve the symptoms.

Dental problems

When the body lacks calcium, it pulls it from sources such as the teeth. This can lead to dental problems, including:

• tooth decay
• brittle teeth
• irritated gums
• weak tooth roots

Also, a calcium deficiency in an infant can impair tooth development.

Depression

Some evidence suggests that calcium deficiency may be linked with mood disorders, including depression, though confirming this will require further research.

Anyone who suspects that a calcium deficiency is contributing to symptoms of depression should consult a doctor. After checking the person’s calcium levels, the doctor may recommend a calcium supplement.

For more in-depth resources about vitamins, minerals, and supplements, visit our dedicated hub.

Anyone experiencing symptoms of a calcium deficiency should speak with a doctor. They can order tests and check the levels of calcium in the blood.

Doctors define hypocalcemia, or a calcium deficiency, as blood calcium concentrations of below 8.8 milligrams per deciliter.

The recommended dietary allowance of calcium for adults aged 19–50 is 1,000 mg.

Older adults need more, however: Females aged at least 51 and males aged at least 71 should be consuming 1,200 mg of calcium per day.

While health experts have yet to establish exactly how common this deficiency is, groups with a higher risk include:

In the United States, females older than 4 years, and especially adolescent females, and males aged 9–18 years or older than 51 years may also have a higher risk of a deficiency.

According to estimates published in 2015, 3.5 billion people worldwide are at risk of a calcium deficiency, due to a low dietary intake.

Meanwhile, in 2013, researchers in the United Kingdom reported that calcium deficiency is still common among people with chronic illnesses.

Three years later, researchers in Pakistan reported that among 252 female participants aged 18–51, 41% reported deficiencies of calcium and vitamin D, and 78% reported symptoms consistent with these deficiencies, including pain in the back, legs, and joints.

Overall, females are less likely to get enough calcium from their diets than males. Many females have low levels without knowing it.

Calcium deficiency has been linked to:

• dental problems
• depression
• various skin conditions
• chronic joint and muscle pain
• fractures
• seizures
• disability

The safest and easiest way to treat or prevent a calcium deficiency is to add more calcium to the diet.

Some calcium-rich foods include:

• dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
• beans
• figs
• broccoli
• tofu
• soy milk
• spinach
• fortified cereals
• nuts and seeds, including almonds and sesame seeds

Learn more about vegan dietary sources of calcium.

Before taking calcium supplements, talk to a doctor. Taking in too much calcium, an issue called hypercalcemia, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, and other serious health problems.

When a deficiency is severe or when supplements and dietary adjustments are not achieving sufficient results, a doctor may prescribe calcium injections.

A calcium deficiency may result from dietary factors, health issues, or medical treatments.

The best approach is to add more calcium to the diet. When this is not possible, a doctor may recommend supplements, either as oral tablets or injections.

Most people who receive treatment experience an improvement in symptoms within a few weeks.

Calcium deficiency disease (hypocalcemia): 7 symptoms and causes

Hypocalcemia, also known as calcium deficiency disease, occurs when the blood has low levels of calcium.

A long-term calcium deficiency can lead to dental changes, cataracts, alterations in the brain, and osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become brittle.

A calcium deficiency may cause no early symptoms. It is usually mild, but without treatment, it can become life threatening.

In this article, we describe how to prevent or treat calcium deficiency disease. We also describe its symptoms and who is at risk.

Calcium is essential for many bodily functions, so a deficiency can have widespread effects, including on the muscles, bones, and teeth, as well as on mental health.

If a low dietary intake is responsible for the deficiency, there are usually no early symptoms. In the longer term, a person may experience osteopenia, or low bone density. Without treatment, this can lead to osteoporosis, or brittle bones.

However, the diet is not usually responsible — a calcium deficiency primarily results from health problems or treatments, such as kidney failure, the removal of the stomach, or the use of certain medications, such as diuretics.

The following sections look at symptoms of a calcium deficiency in more detail.

Muscle problems

A person with a calcium deficiency may experience:

• muscle aches, cramps, and spasms
• pain in the thighs and arms when walking or moving
• numbness and tingling in the hands, arms, feet, and legs, as well as around the mouth

These symptoms may come and go, but they do not tend to disappear with activity.

More extreme sensations may indicate a more severe deficiency, which can also lead to:

• convulsions
• arrhythmias
• death

Extreme fatigue

Low levels of calcium can cause extreme fatigue, which involves a lack of energy and an overall feeling of sluggishness. It can also lead to insomnia.

Fatigue associated with a calcium deficiency can also involve lightheadedness, dizziness, and brain fog — characterized by a lack of focus, forgetfulness, and confusion.

Nail and skin symptoms

A lasting calcium deficiency can cause:

• dry skin
• dry, broken, or brittle nails
• coarse hair
• alopecia, which causes hair to fall out in patches
• eczema, or skin inflammation that can lead to itchy or dry patches
• psoriasis

Osteopenia and osteoporosis

The bones store calcium well, but they require high levels to stay strong. When overall levels of calcium are low, the body can divert some from the bones, making them brittle and prone to injury.

Over time, having too little calcium can cause osteopenia, a reduction of mineral density in the bones.

This can lead to osteoporosis, which causes the bones to thin and become vulnerable to fractures, as well as pain and problems with posture.

It can take takes years for osteoporosis and other complications of a calcium deficiency to develop.

Severe PMS

Low calcium levels have been linked to severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Participants in one 2017 study reported improved mood and reduced rates of fluid retention after taking 500 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily for 2 months.

In 2019, researchers concluded that low levels of vitamin D and calcium during the second half of the menstrual cycle might contribute to symptoms of PMS. The team proposed that supplements may help relieve the symptoms.

Dental problems

When the body lacks calcium, it pulls it from sources such as the teeth. This can lead to dental problems, including:

• tooth decay
• brittle teeth
• irritated gums
• weak tooth roots

Also, a calcium deficiency in an infant can impair tooth development.

Depression

Some evidence suggests that calcium deficiency may be linked with mood disorders, including depression, though confirming this will require further research.

Anyone who suspects that a calcium deficiency is contributing to symptoms of depression should consult a doctor. After checking the person’s calcium levels, the doctor may recommend a calcium supplement.

For more in-depth resources about vitamins, minerals, and supplements, visit our dedicated hub.

Anyone experiencing symptoms of a calcium deficiency should speak with a doctor. They can order tests and check the levels of calcium in the blood.

Doctors define hypocalcemia, or a calcium deficiency, as blood calcium concentrations of below 8.8 milligrams per deciliter.

The recommended dietary allowance of calcium for adults aged 19–50 is 1,000 mg.

Older adults need more, however: Females aged at least 51 and males aged at least 71 should be consuming 1,200 mg of calcium per day.

While health experts have yet to establish exactly how common this deficiency is, groups with a higher risk include:

In the United States, females older than 4 years, and especially adolescent females, and males aged 9–18 years or older than 51 years may also have a higher risk of a deficiency.

According to estimates published in 2015, 3.5 billion people worldwide are at risk of a calcium deficiency, due to a low dietary intake.

Meanwhile, in 2013, researchers in the United Kingdom reported that calcium deficiency is still common among people with chronic illnesses.

Three years later, researchers in Pakistan reported that among 252 female participants aged 18–51, 41% reported deficiencies of calcium and vitamin D, and 78% reported symptoms consistent with these deficiencies, including pain in the back, legs, and joints.

Overall, females are less likely to get enough calcium from their diets than males. Many females have low levels without knowing it.

Calcium deficiency has been linked to:

• dental problems
• depression
• various skin conditions
• chronic joint and muscle pain
• fractures
• seizures
• disability

The safest and easiest way to treat or prevent a calcium deficiency is to add more calcium to the diet.

Some calcium-rich foods include:

• dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
• beans
• figs
• broccoli
• tofu
• soy milk
• spinach
• fortified cereals
• nuts and seeds, including almonds and sesame seeds

Learn more about vegan dietary sources of calcium.

Before taking calcium supplements, talk to a doctor. Taking in too much calcium, an issue called hypercalcemia, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, and other serious health problems.

When a deficiency is severe or when supplements and dietary adjustments are not achieving sufficient results, a doctor may prescribe calcium injections.

A calcium deficiency may result from dietary factors, health issues, or medical treatments.

The best approach is to add more calcium to the diet. When this is not possible, a doctor may recommend supplements, either as oral tablets or injections.

Most people who receive treatment experience an improvement in symptoms within a few weeks.

Calcium deficiency disease (hypocalcemia): 7 symptoms and causes

Hypocalcemia, also known as calcium deficiency disease, occurs when the blood has low levels of calcium.

A long-term calcium deficiency can lead to dental changes, cataracts, alterations in the brain, and osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become brittle.

A calcium deficiency may cause no early symptoms. It is usually mild, but without treatment, it can become life threatening.

In this article, we describe how to prevent or treat calcium deficiency disease. We also describe its symptoms and who is at risk.

Calcium is essential for many bodily functions, so a deficiency can have widespread effects, including on the muscles, bones, and teeth, as well as on mental health.

If a low dietary intake is responsible for the deficiency, there are usually no early symptoms. In the longer term, a person may experience osteopenia, or low bone density. Without treatment, this can lead to osteoporosis, or brittle bones.

However, the diet is not usually responsible — a calcium deficiency primarily results from health problems or treatments, such as kidney failure, the removal of the stomach, or the use of certain medications, such as diuretics.

The following sections look at symptoms of a calcium deficiency in more detail.

Muscle problems

A person with a calcium deficiency may experience:

• muscle aches, cramps, and spasms
• pain in the thighs and arms when walking or moving
• numbness and tingling in the hands, arms, feet, and legs, as well as around the mouth

These symptoms may come and go, but they do not tend to disappear with activity.

More extreme sensations may indicate a more severe deficiency, which can also lead to:

• convulsions
• arrhythmias
• death

Extreme fatigue

Low levels of calcium can cause extreme fatigue, which involves a lack of energy and an overall feeling of sluggishness. It can also lead to insomnia.

Fatigue associated with a calcium deficiency can also involve lightheadedness, dizziness, and brain fog — characterized by a lack of focus, forgetfulness, and confusion.

Nail and skin symptoms

A lasting calcium deficiency can cause:

• dry skin
• dry, broken, or brittle nails
• coarse hair
• alopecia, which causes hair to fall out in patches
• eczema, or skin inflammation that can lead to itchy or dry patches
• psoriasis

Osteopenia and osteoporosis

The bones store calcium well, but they require high levels to stay strong. When overall levels of calcium are low, the body can divert some from the bones, making them brittle and prone to injury.

Over time, having too little calcium can cause osteopenia, a reduction of mineral density in the bones.

This can lead to osteoporosis, which causes the bones to thin and become vulnerable to fractures, as well as pain and problems with posture.

It can take takes years for osteoporosis and other complications of a calcium deficiency to develop.

Severe PMS

Low calcium levels have been linked to severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Participants in one 2017 study reported improved mood and reduced rates of fluid retention after taking 500 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily for 2 months.

In 2019, researchers concluded that low levels of vitamin D and calcium during the second half of the menstrual cycle might contribute to symptoms of PMS. The team proposed that supplements may help relieve the symptoms.

Dental problems

When the body lacks calcium, it pulls it from sources such as the teeth. This can lead to dental problems, including:

• tooth decay
• brittle teeth
• irritated gums
• weak tooth roots

Also, a calcium deficiency in an infant can impair tooth development.

Depression

Some evidence suggests that calcium deficiency may be linked with mood disorders, including depression, though confirming this will require further research.

Anyone who suspects that a calcium deficiency is contributing to symptoms of depression should consult a doctor. After checking the person’s calcium levels, the doctor may recommend a calcium supplement.

For more in-depth resources about vitamins, minerals, and supplements, visit our dedicated hub.

Anyone experiencing symptoms of a calcium deficiency should speak with a doctor. They can order tests and check the levels of calcium in the blood.

Doctors define hypocalcemia, or a calcium deficiency, as blood calcium concentrations of below 8.8 milligrams per deciliter.

The recommended dietary allowance of calcium for adults aged 19–50 is 1,000 mg.

Older adults need more, however: Females aged at least 51 and males aged at least 71 should be consuming 1,200 mg of calcium per day.

While health experts have yet to establish exactly how common this deficiency is, groups with a higher risk include:

In the United States, females older than 4 years, and especially adolescent females, and males aged 9–18 years or older than 51 years may also have a higher risk of a deficiency.

According to estimates published in 2015, 3.5 billion people worldwide are at risk of a calcium deficiency, due to a low dietary intake.

Meanwhile, in 2013, researchers in the United Kingdom reported that calcium deficiency is still common among people with chronic illnesses.

Three years later, researchers in Pakistan reported that among 252 female participants aged 18–51, 41% reported deficiencies of calcium and vitamin D, and 78% reported symptoms consistent with these deficiencies, including pain in the back, legs, and joints.

Overall, females are less likely to get enough calcium from their diets than males. Many females have low levels without knowing it.

Calcium deficiency has been linked to:

• dental problems
• depression
• various skin conditions
• chronic joint and muscle pain
• fractures
• seizures
• disability

The safest and easiest way to treat or prevent a calcium deficiency is to add more calcium to the diet.

Some calcium-rich foods include:

• dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
• beans
• figs
• broccoli
• tofu
• soy milk
• spinach
• fortified cereals
• nuts and seeds, including almonds and sesame seeds

Learn more about vegan dietary sources of calcium.

Before taking calcium supplements, talk to a doctor. Taking in too much calcium, an issue called hypercalcemia, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, and other serious health problems.

When a deficiency is severe or when supplements and dietary adjustments are not achieving sufficient results, a doctor may prescribe calcium injections.

A calcium deficiency may result from dietary factors, health issues, or medical treatments.

The best approach is to add more calcium to the diet. When this is not possible, a doctor may recommend supplements, either as oral tablets or injections.

Most people who receive treatment experience an improvement in symptoms within a few weeks.

Calcium deficiency disease (hypocalcemia): 7 symptoms and causes

Hypocalcemia, also known as calcium deficiency disease, occurs when the blood has low levels of calcium.

A long-term calcium deficiency can lead to dental changes, cataracts, alterations in the brain, and osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become brittle.

A calcium deficiency may cause no early symptoms. It is usually mild, but without treatment, it can become life threatening.

In this article, we describe how to prevent or treat calcium deficiency disease. We also describe its symptoms and who is at risk.

Calcium is essential for many bodily functions, so a deficiency can have widespread effects, including on the muscles, bones, and teeth, as well as on mental health.

If a low dietary intake is responsible for the deficiency, there are usually no early symptoms. In the longer term, a person may experience osteopenia, or low bone density. Without treatment, this can lead to osteoporosis, or brittle bones.

However, the diet is not usually responsible — a calcium deficiency primarily results from health problems or treatments, such as kidney failure, the removal of the stomach, or the use of certain medications, such as diuretics.

The following sections look at symptoms of a calcium deficiency in more detail.

Muscle problems

A person with a calcium deficiency may experience:

• muscle aches, cramps, and spasms
• pain in the thighs and arms when walking or moving
• numbness and tingling in the hands, arms, feet, and legs, as well as around the mouth

These symptoms may come and go, but they do not tend to disappear with activity.

More extreme sensations may indicate a more severe deficiency, which can also lead to:

• convulsions
• arrhythmias
• death

Extreme fatigue

Low levels of calcium can cause extreme fatigue, which involves a lack of energy and an overall feeling of sluggishness. It can also lead to insomnia.

Fatigue associated with a calcium deficiency can also involve lightheadedness, dizziness, and brain fog — characterized by a lack of focus, forgetfulness, and confusion.

Nail and skin symptoms

A lasting calcium deficiency can cause:

• dry skin
• dry, broken, or brittle nails
• coarse hair
• alopecia, which causes hair to fall out in patches
• eczema, or skin inflammation that can lead to itchy or dry patches
• psoriasis

Osteopenia and osteoporosis

The bones store calcium well, but they require high levels to stay strong. When overall levels of calcium are low, the body can divert some from the bones, making them brittle and prone to injury.

Over time, having too little calcium can cause osteopenia, a reduction of mineral density in the bones.

This can lead to osteoporosis, which causes the bones to thin and become vulnerable to fractures, as well as pain and problems with posture.

It can take takes years for osteoporosis and other complications of a calcium deficiency to develop.

Severe PMS

Low calcium levels have been linked to severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Participants in one 2017 study reported improved mood and reduced rates of fluid retention after taking 500 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily for 2 months.

In 2019, researchers concluded that low levels of vitamin D and calcium during the second half of the menstrual cycle might contribute to symptoms of PMS. The team proposed that supplements may help relieve the symptoms.

Dental problems

When the body lacks calcium, it pulls it from sources such as the teeth. This can lead to dental problems, including:

• tooth decay
• brittle teeth
• irritated gums
• weak tooth roots

Also, a calcium deficiency in an infant can impair tooth development.

Depression

Some evidence suggests that calcium deficiency may be linked with mood disorders, including depression, though confirming this will require further research.

Anyone who suspects that a calcium deficiency is contributing to symptoms of depression should consult a doctor. After checking the person’s calcium levels, the doctor may recommend a calcium supplement.

For more in-depth resources about vitamins, minerals, and supplements, visit our dedicated hub.

Anyone experiencing symptoms of a calcium deficiency should speak with a doctor. They can order tests and check the levels of calcium in the blood.

Doctors define hypocalcemia, or a calcium deficiency, as blood calcium concentrations of below 8.8 milligrams per deciliter.

The recommended dietary allowance of calcium for adults aged 19–50 is 1,000 mg.

Older adults need more, however: Females aged at least 51 and males aged at least 71 should be consuming 1,200 mg of calcium per day.

While health experts have yet to establish exactly how common this deficiency is, groups with a higher risk include:

In the United States, females older than 4 years, and especially adolescent females, and males aged 9–18 years or older than 51 years may also have a higher risk of a deficiency.

According to estimates published in 2015, 3.5 billion people worldwide are at risk of a calcium deficiency, due to a low dietary intake.

Meanwhile, in 2013, researchers in the United Kingdom reported that calcium deficiency is still common among people with chronic illnesses.

Three years later, researchers in Pakistan reported that among 252 female participants aged 18–51, 41% reported deficiencies of calcium and vitamin D, and 78% reported symptoms consistent with these deficiencies, including pain in the back, legs, and joints.

Overall, females are less likely to get enough calcium from their diets than males. Many females have low levels without knowing it.

Calcium deficiency has been linked to:

• dental problems
• depression
• various skin conditions
• chronic joint and muscle pain
• fractures
• seizures
• disability

The safest and easiest way to treat or prevent a calcium deficiency is to add more calcium to the diet.

Some calcium-rich foods include:

• dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
• beans
• figs
• broccoli
• tofu
• soy milk
• spinach
• fortified cereals
• nuts and seeds, including almonds and sesame seeds

Learn more about vegan dietary sources of calcium.

Before taking calcium supplements, talk to a doctor. Taking in too much calcium, an issue called hypercalcemia, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, and other serious health problems.

When a deficiency is severe or when supplements and dietary adjustments are not achieving sufficient results, a doctor may prescribe calcium injections.

A calcium deficiency may result from dietary factors, health issues, or medical treatments.

The best approach is to add more calcium to the diet. When this is not possible, a doctor may recommend supplements, either as oral tablets or injections.

Most people who receive treatment experience an improvement in symptoms within a few weeks.

What Is Osteopenia? How Is It Different From Osteoporosis?

Think of it as a midpoint between having healthy bones and having osteoporosis.

Osteopenia is when your bones are weaker than normal but not so far gone that they break easily, which is the hallmark of osteoporosis.

Your bones are usually at their densest when you’re about 30. Osteopenia, if it happens at all, usually occurs after age 50. The exact age depends how strong your bones are when you’re young. If they’re hardy, you may never get osteopenia. If your bones aren’t naturally dense, you may get it earlier.

Osteopenia — or seeing it turn into osteoporosis for that matter — is not inevitable. Diet, exercise, and sometimes medication can help keep your bones dense and strong for decades.

Who Is Most Likely to Get It?

This condition happens when your body gets rid of more bone than it is creating.

Some people are genetically prone to it, with a family history of the condition. You’re also more likely to get it if you’re a woman.

Women have lower bone mass than men. Also, women live longer, which means their bones age more, and they usually don’t get as much calcium as men.

Calcium is the key to keeping bones healthy. Hormone changes that happen at menopause increase the chance for osteopenia for women, and men with lower testosterone levels have higher odds of getting it.

Medical Causes

Sometimes, you may have a medical condition or treatment that can trigger the condition.

Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, can starve your body of nutrients needed to keep bones strong. Other causes include:

Lifestyle Causes

Problems in your diet, lack of exercise, and unhealthy habits can contribute to this condition. Watch out for:

Diagnosis

Osteopenia usually doesn’t have any symptoms. This makes it hard to diagnose unless you have a bone mineral density test.

Continued

The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends the test if you meet any of the following:

• You’re a woman 65 or older
• You’re a postmenopausal woman 50 or older
• You’re a woman at the age of menopause and have a high chance for breaking bones
• You’re a woman who has already been through menopause, younger than 65, and have other things that give you a higher chance of osteopenia
• You’re a man older than 50 with risk factors
• You break a bone after age 50

The test is painless and fast. It estimates how dense or thick your bones are by using X-rays.

Prevention and Treatment

It’s never too early to take steps to prevent osteopenia. Talk with your doctor about an exercise plan that’s right for you. Eat the right kinds of food.

But even if you already have osteopenia, it’s not too late for you to stop it from turning into osteoporosis with these strategies:

Get enough calcium and vitamin D: This may be the most important thing you can do for your bones at any stage of life. You can get calcium in:

• Dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and milk (go for low-fat or nonfat varieties)
• Spinach and broccoli
• Dried beans
• Salmon

Continued

Vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium, can be found in eggs and in oily fish such as salmon and sardines.

Some foods, including orange juice, cereal, and bread, have added calcium and vitamin D.

It’s also a good idea to spend 10 to 15 minutes in the sun twice a week because this helps your body convert sunlight to vitamin D.

If your doctor doesn’t think you’re getting enough calcium and vitamin D, they may suggest that you take a supplement.

Weight lifting: You can do regular, weight-bearing exercises to prevent or slow osteopenia. Talk with your doctor before you start a strength-training program.

Lifestyle changes: If you smoke, try to quit. Cut down on carbonated drinks and alcohol.

Medications

Prescription medications are sometimes used to treat osteopenia if your bones are starting to get weak.

Medicines also used to treat osteoporosis might be prescribed. These include:

You might have side effects such as digestive problems and bone and joint pain. They might also make you feel tired.

Osteoporosis Prevention With Calcium: Foods, Supplements, Daily Intake

What is calcium?

Calcium is a mineral that the body needs for good health. Calcium is found naturally in some foods and is added to others. It also is available as a nutrition supplement and is contained in some medicines like Tums®.

Why does the body need calcium?

Calcium is the healthy bone mineral. About 99% of the calcium in the body is stored in the bones and teeth. It’s the mineral that makes them hard and strong. The remaining 1% is needed for many activities that help keep the body functioning normally. Calcium helps blood vessels contract (narrow) and expand, makes muscles contract, helps send messages through the nervous system and helps glands secrete hormones.

Bones are constantly being remodeled every day, and calcium moves in and out of them. In children and adolescents, the body builds new bone faster than it breaks down old bone so total bone mass increases. This continues until about age 30, when new bone formation and old bone breakdown start occurring at about the same rate. In older adults, especially in post-menopausal women, bone is broken down at a faster rate than it’s built. If calcium intake is too low, this can contribute to osteoporosis.

How much calcium does an adult need to take in every day?

The amount of calcium needed for healthy bones and teeth is different by age. The National Institutes of Health suggests these levels of daily intake for adults:

Daily suggested calcium intake for adults

• Adults 19-50 years: 1,000 mg.
• Adult men 51-70 years: 1,000 mg.
• Adult women 51-70 years: 1,200 mg.
• Adults 71 years and older: 1,200 mg.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding teens: 1,300 mg.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding adults: 1,000 mg.

What are the best ways to get enough calcium?

The best way to get enough calcium every day is to eat a variety of healthy foods from all the different food groups. Getting enough vitamin D every day from foods like enriched milk or from natural sunlight is important to help the body absorb and use calcium from food.

Here are some easy guidelines for selecting foods high in calcium:

• Dairy products have the highest calcium content. Dairy products include milk, yogurt and cheese. A cup (8 ounces) of milk contains 300 mg of calcium. The calcium content is the same for skim, low fat and whole milk.
• Dark green, leafy vegetables contain high amounts of calcium. Broccoli, kale and collards are all good sources of calcium, especially when eaten raw or lightly steamed. (Boiling vegetables can take out much of their mineral content.)
• A serving of canned salmon or sardines has about 200 mg of calcium. It’s found in the soft bones of the fish.
• Cereal, pasta, breads and other food made with grains may add calcium to the diet. Look for cereals that are fortified with minerals, including calcium.
• Besides cereal, calcium is sometimes added to fruit juices, soy and rice beverages and tofu. Read product labels to find out if a food item has added calcium.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that everyone aged 9 years and older eat three servings of foods from the dairy group per day.

1 serving of dairy equals:

• 1 cup (8 ounces) milk.
• 1 cup yogurt.
• 1.5 ounces of natural cheese (such as cheddar).
• 2 ounces of processed cheese (such as American).

Should I take a calcium supplement?

Calcium is best absorbed through the foods we eat and the beverages we drink. For most healthy patients, it’s important to eat a well-balanced diet instead of relying on supplements alone.

For those who can’t get enough calcium from food and beverages each day, taking a calcium supplement may be necessary. People who have lactose intolerance might have difficulty getting enough calcium through their diet alone. In addition, those with absorption problems due to gastrointestinal illness may not absorb enough calcium. Those who follow a vegan diet, or consume large amounts of protein and sodium might also not get enough calcium.

What type of calcium supplement should I take?

The amount of calcium the body will absorb from supplements depends on the form of calcium in the supplement, how well the calcium dissolves in the intestines and the amount of calcium in the body. The two most commonly used calcium products are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate.

Calcium carbonate supplements dissolve better in an acid environment, so they should be taken with a meal. Calcium citrate supplements can be taken any time because they do not need acid to dissolve. For this reason, people who might have problems absorbing medications could consider using calcium citrate instead of calcium carbonate. This would include those who take medications to decrease stomach acid (such as over-the-counter and prescription heartburn medications). Also, those who have had intestinal bypass surgery, or perhaps even those 65 years and older, may benefit from calcium citrate instead of calcium carbonate.

Calcium supplements in the form of gluconate, lactate or phosphate are also available, but they generally contain less absorbable calcium. It’s helpful to look for supplements that have the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or consumerlab.com (CL) abbreviation on the bottle. This indicates that the products have met voluntary industry standards for quality.

The higher the calcium dose, the less it’s absorbed. For the maximum absorption, no more than 500 mg of calcium should be taken in a single dose. If you need more than 500 mg as a supplement, take the doses at least four hours apart. If you think you need a calcium supplement, ask your doctor or a dietitian to recommend one.

What happens if I take too much calcium?

Adults ages 19 through 50 should not get more than 2,500 mg calcium total per day (including food and supplements). Adults over age 50 should not exceed 2,000 mg total per day. Dietary calcium is considered safe, but too much calcium in the form of supplements might have some health risks. Too much calcium has the potential to increase the risk of kidney stones, constipation or even calcium buildup in your blood vessels, along with difficulty absorbing iron and zinc.

Are there any medications that interact with calcium?

Calcium can reduce the absorption of these drugs if taken at the same time:

• Bisphosphonates (osteoporosis treatment).
• Thyroid medication.
• Certain seizure medications (phenytoin).
• Certain antibiotics.
• Iron supplements.

What happens when the body does not get enough calcium?

Children need calcium to build strong bones. Adults need calcium to maintain strong bones. Over time, inadequate calcium intake can cause osteoporosis, the brittle bone disease. People with osteoporosis are at high risk for broken bones, especially at the wrist, hip and spine. These fractures cause chronic (long-lasting) pain and disability, loss of independence, decreased quality of life and a higher risk of death.

Osteoporosis can cause the bones that make up the spine (the vertebrae) to break. This causes the spine to collapse in these areas, which leads to pain, difficulty in moving and gradual deformity. If the problem is severe enough, it causes a “dowager’s hump” to form, a curvature of the upper back.

Who develops osteoporosis?

According to the National Institutes of Health, half of all women over age 50 and a quarter of men older than age 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Post-menopausal white and Asian women are at the highest risk for osteoporosis. About 25% of women with osteoporosis will develop a vertebral deformity, and 15% will break a hip. Osteoporosis also causes broken hips in men, although not as often as in women. Hip fractures are associated with an increased risk of death within the year after the bone break.

Risk factors for osteoporosis include:

• Not enough calcium in the diet.
• Age over 50.
• Small, thin body build.
• Family history of osteoporosis.
• Being a white or Asian woman.
• Smoking.
• Use of certain medications such as breast cancer treatments, seizure medications, steroids.

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

Symptoms of bone loss do not occur until osteoporosis develops. Even then, in its early stages, osteoporosis may not cause any symptoms. Symptoms that develop as osteoporosis worsens may include:

• Breaking bones easily.
• Back pain.
• Stooped posture.
• Gradual loss of height.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?

The outward signs of osteoporosis (height loss, easily broken bones, dowager’s hump) combined with a patient’s gender and age are strong signs that the patient has osteoporosis. A technology called dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the state-of-the-art technique for measuring bone mineral density (how much calcium is in the bones) and to diagnose osteoporosis.

How can osteoporosis be prevented?

To promote lifelong healthy bones and reduce calcium loss:

• Eat a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D throughout your life.
• Enjoy regular exercise, especially weight-bearing activity like walking or jogging.
• Don’t smoke.
• Go easy on the caffeine and alcohol.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends a bone density screening by DXA in all women aged 65 years or older. They also recommended a screening test for women under the age of 65 who are at risk for fractures. This test shows the strength of the bones so that preventative measures against fractures can be started if necessary.

Calcium content of various foods

• Yogurt, plain, low fat, 8 ounces 415 mg per serving.
• Orange juice, calcium-fortified, 6 ounces 375 mg per serving.
• Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 8 ounces 338–384 mg per serving.
• Mozzarella, part skim, 1.5 ounces 333 mg per serving.
• Sardines, canned in oil, with bones, 3 ounces 325 mg per serving.
• Cheddar cheese, 1.5 ounces 307 mg per serving.
• Milk, nonfat, 8 ounces 299 mg per serving.
• Milk, reduced-fat (2% milk fat), 8 ounces 293 mg per serving.
• Milk, buttermilk, 8 ounces 282–350 mg per serving.
• Milk, whole (3.25% milk fat), 8 ounces 276 mg per serving.
• Tofu, firm, made with calcium sulfate, ½ cup 253 mg per serving.
• Salmon, pink, canned, solids with bone, 3 ounces 181 mg per serving.
• Cottage cheese, 1% milk fat, 1 cup 138 mg per serving.
• Instant breakfast drink, various flavors and brands, powder prepared with water, 8 ounces 105–250 mg per serving.
• Frozen yogurt, vanilla, soft serve, ½ cup 103 mg per serving.
• Ready-to-eat cereal, calcium-fortified, 1 cup 100–1,000 mg per serving.
• Turnip greens, fresh, boiled, ½ cup 99 mg per serving.
• Kale, fresh, cooked, 1 cup 94 mg per serving kale, raw, chopped, 1 cup 90 mg per serving
• Tofu, soft, made with calcium sulfate, ½ cup 138 mg per serving ice cream, vanilla, ½ cup 84 mg per serving.
• Soy beverage, calcium-fortified, 8 ounces 80–500 mg per serving.
• Chinese cabbage, bok choi, raw, shredded, 1 cup 74 mg per serving.
• Bread, white, 1 slice 73 mg per serving.
• Pudding, chocolate, ready to eat, refrigerated, 4 ounces 55 mg per serving.
• Tortilla, corn, ready-to-bake/fry, one 6″ diameter 46 mg per serving.
• Tortilla, flour, ready-to-bake/fry, one 6″ diameter 32 mg per serving.
• Sour cream, reduced fat, cultured, 2 tablespoons 31 mg per serving.
• Bread, whole-wheat, 1 slice 30 mg per serving.
• Broccoli, raw, ½ cup 21 mg per serving.
• Cheese, cream, regular, 1 tablespoon 14 mg per serving.

90,000 Osteoporosis Disease: Signs and Prevention

Osteoporosis is a preventable disease that every woman should know about. A symptom of osteoporosis is a decrease in bone strength, which occurs in many women with the onset of menopause. Bones become thinner and more fragile, which leads to the fact that the injury, which in youth would have resulted in a bruise, now leads to a fracture or fracture. Preventing osteoporosis can help prevent this kind of bone change.

Essence of the problem

Osteoporosis is the loss of calcium in the bones. This process takes place in the body of any person over forty years old, but in one it occurs imperceptibly, in another, especially in women, it results in pathology, which can, in the end, lead to fractures and other signs of osteoporosis. Calcium can be leached from bones for many reasons. This could be pregnancy, hormonal imbalance during menopause, or inactivity.

Most frequent fractures.

Problem solving

Prevention of osteoporosis involves a set of simple actions to prevent the loss of calcium in the bones, and this complex should change depending on the health, age and lifestyle of the person. If the signs of osteoporosis are already noticeable, do not give up: observing some rules, you can continue to live a full life. A woman must monitor the menstrual cycle all her life, visit a gynecologist every six months, so that when menopause occurs, the doctor can recommend the necessary preventive measures or, if necessary, prescribe sex hormones.

Prevention of osteoporosis is impossible without dosed physical activity, as it helps to strengthen bones, but here we must remember that if a person had a “sedentary” job and led a sedentary lifestyle, then with age he should strive to move as much as possible and work physically, for example in the country. And, conversely, if the profession was associated with hard physical labor, then the skeleton should not be loaded, calm walks, dancing and stretching physical exercises are preferable.

In order to prevent osteoporosis throughout life, the body must receive a sufficient amount of calcium and other minerals necessary for building and maintaining the composition of bone tissue.

A predisposition to osteoporosis can cause an inappropriate lifestyle. Drinking alcohol, smoking, overeating, and over-taking medications, especially antibiotics, without a doctor’s prescription is a sure way to get osteoporosis.

If osteoporosis has already entered your life, try to be more careful in your daily activities.Sturdy shoes and a rug on your bathroom floor are an easy way to protect yourself from breaking.

List of risk factors

Each positive answer is one of the risk factors for getting osteoporosis.

• Hereditary factor. You have an asthenic physique and thin skin, and does anyone have osteoporosis in your family?

• Hormonal factor. Are you currently in menopause? Did you start menopause too early? Have you been pregnant? Have you had ovarian surgery?

• Nutrition factor.Do you drink alcohol often? Do you smoke? Do you take medications often? Do you drink more than two cups of coffee a day? Do you often eat salty foods? Do you overeat often?

• Signs of osteoporosis. Have you had fractures recently? Are you shorter? Do you have a slouch? Do your teeth deteriorate?

• Calcium factor. Didn’t you like dairy products as a child? Do you often eat dairy products? Do you know the calcium rate for your age?

• Factor of motor activity.Are you sedentary? Do you have a sedentary job? Do you have poorly developed muscles?

• Safety factor (if you already have osteoporosis). Do you wear high heels? Do you lift weights by leaning forward? Are you taking sedatives? Is your home comfortable and safe for fragile bones? Signs of osteoporosis

In addition, you should see a specialist if you experience severe fatigue, leg cramps, excess plaque, periodontal disease, bone or lower back pain, brittle and split nails, early graying, heart palpitations, or serious signs such as bone fractures and curvature of the spine.There is a reliable system for measuring bone mass, if necessary, the doctor will give the necessary recommendation.

Hormone replacement therapy

The most common cause of osteoporosis in women is a lack of sex hormones, namely estrogen. Estrogens are one of the many factors responsible for the formation of bones, which is why it is during menopause, when their number is significantly reduced, and osteoporosis begins. Menopause can be age-related, that is, natural, and maybe artificial – surgical.In this case, female sex hormones are prescribed, which is called hormone replacement therapy. Progesterone, a substitute for estrogen, is usually prescribed.

This therapy helps prevent calcium leaching from the bones, but requires caution as there is a high risk of side effects. Because of this, hormone replacement therapy is not indicated for all women, and only a specialist decides whether a patient needs hormone replacement therapy to prevent osteoporosis. He will determine how much you need hormone replacement therapy to overcome the signs of osteoporosis and, after a thorough examination, weighing the risks and benefits of this treatment, will tell you if hormone replacement therapy is indicated for you.

The positive effect of hormone replacement therapy is that it does not allow the body to lose bone mass during menopause, namely, its loss leads to the disease osteoporosis. In addition, the symptoms, due to which women experience considerable discomfort, are reduced: hot flashes, tearfulness, irritability, insomnia, sweating. Also, this treatment helps to lower cholesterol levels, and this is the prevention of heart disease.

Hormone replacement therapy can cause various side effects.This is an increase in blood pressure, fluid retention by the body, a feeling of tension in the mammary glands, inflammation of the gallbladder. In addition, it must be remembered that modern hormone treatment regimens slightly increase the risk of breast cancer.

Hormone replacement therapy as prevention of osteoporosis is strongly contraindicated in women with breast or uterine cancer. Or if they were sick with it before. Also, this treatment should not be used for liver diseases, arterial hypertension, edema and thrombophlebitis.

Hormone replacement therapy should take into account the individual characteristics of the body, and since it consists in taking estrogens or estrogens with progestins, the dosage and regimen for taking these hormones should be selected by the doctor individually. Hormone replacement therapy is a fairly long-term method of treating the disease of osteoporosis, so you need to tune in to the fact that the effect of it will not be noticeable immediately.

Calcium as prevention of osteoporosis

Calcium must be supplied to the body constantly, throughout life from infancy to old age, because it is the main constituent of bone tissue, and this is extremely important for the prevention of osteoporosis.If during the period of the main growth of bone tissue, the body’s need for calcium was completely satisfied, then it will increase the maximum bone mass. Bone tissue contains 98 percent of the calcium in the body, the remaining two percent is used by the body for other vital functions, so bone tissue also performs the function of a depot, from which calcium is supplied to the needs of the body. If less calcium is supplied with food than is required for metabolic processes, it begins to gradually be washed out of the bones, and this, in the end, can cause osteoporosis.

To know whether a sufficient amount of calcium enters your body with food, you can refer to a special table indicating the daily amount of this substance.

Table of the body’s daily requirement for calcium:

• from 11 -24 years old – 1200mg

• from 25 to menopause – 1000 mg

• during menopause – 1200 mg

• after – 1500 mg

It is necessary that the calcium content of the food eaten per day is in accordance with this table.If a smaller number comes out, then it is necessary to add to the diet foods containing calcium, or food supplements with it. It is important to remember that not only a lack of calcium is dangerous to health because it causes osteoporosis, its excess is also dangerous, as it can cause the formation of stones in the kidneys, in the urinary and gall bladder, negatively affect the cardiovascular system, and also provoke the early appearance of gout. and arthritis. Most of our calcium comes from dairy products.About 40 percent of adults cannot drink milk because their bodies stop digesting lactose as they age. For them, the prevention of osteoporosis will be fermented milk products and other foods that contain calcium.

Calculate the amount of calcium in the diet, based on special tables, which indicate how many milligrams of calcium are contained in 100 grams of the product. Dairy and fish are the champions in calcium, while broccoli and beans are the vegetable champions.

The pharmaceutical industry produces many different products in which calcium is present as the main ingredient or as an additive in combination preparations. Before buying any funds, be sure to consult with your doctor. He will select the most suitable option for the prevention of osteoporosis and calculate the dosage, as well as the time of admission. Because some drugs must be taken once a day, others several or correlated with food intake.

Physical activity as prevention of osteoporosis

Physical activity strengthens bone and muscle tissue at any age, but for adult women this is the only way to maintain and even increase bone mass, and therefore prevent the development of osteoporosis.Numerous studies have confirmed that properly dosed physical activity is an effective way to combat calcium leaching from bones in postmenopausal life, when the possibility of developing signs of osteoporosis is so high. With regular exercise, bones become stronger, since the dependence of the amount of calcium and bone density on the quality of the surrounding muscle tissue has been proven. Therefore, we must remember that such a wonderful pastime as horseback riding and cycling, running and walking, tennis and jumping rope, aerobics and dancing, is also an excellent way to preserve and strengthen bone tissue.

Going in for sports, one must remember that too much physical activity, on the contrary, can harm the body, as it is fraught with injuries. In addition, too much enthusiasm by young women for exercise, leading to a drop in the level of fatty tissue in the body below normal, can provoke a disorder in the regularity of the menstrual cycle, leading to an early onset of menopause in the future. All this, in the end, will lead to the development of the disease osteoporosis. Having decided to do any kind of sport, you need to consult a specialist.

Lifestyle of people with osteoporosis

If the disease osteoporosis has already entered your life, you need to learn to coexist and fight it. First, women with signs of osteoporosis should protect themselves as much as possible from bone fractures by strengthening bone and muscle tissue with the help of various physical exercises. Emphasis should be placed on exercises that strengthen bone muscles, develop flexibility and joint mobility. It is very important for people with osteoporosis to perform specific balance exercises.It should always be remembered that regular exercise is essential to maintain bone mass and density.

Exercise is especially important to prevent bone fractures. You can protect yourself from this kind of injury if you increase muscle tone, improve joint mobility and strengthen muscles with regular exercise. Physical activity is a natural factor that regulates bone-forming processes. It has been experimentally proven that for people suffering from osteoporosis, it is important not only to accurately dose the load, but also to ensure that they are not too long.The number of classes and exercises in them should be limited, but repeated regularly, for example, every other day.

Physical activity is as necessary for people with signs of osteoporosis as it is for healthy people. They are important not only for strengthening bones, but also have a beneficial effect on the entire body. With regular physical exertion, the volume of bone mass increases, blood circulation improves, the functioning of the intestines, skin, endocrine glands normalizes, posture disorders are corrected, tension and stress are corrected, irritation of the spinal roots is eliminated, excess weight is lost, breathing and heart activity are improved, thereby prevention is carried out osteoporosis.

It is absolutely necessary for a woman with signs of osteoporosis to go in for physical activity or any kind of sport to undergo a medical examination. She should seek the advice of her health care provider as well as a physical therapist. She will individually select special exercises, their duration and training schedule. Self-activity in this matter for a person who has osteoporosis is fraught with injuries and complications.

Lifestyle

Wrong lifestyle and bad habits are one of the factors causing osteoporosis.Drinking alcoholic beverages, smoking, taking certain medications leads to a decrease in bone density. In addition, there are foods that block the absorption of calcium by the body.

Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can cause signs of osteoporosis, since alcohol is a toxin that disrupts metabolic processes in the body and thereby contributes to bone loss. Smoking is also a risk factor for signs of osteoporosis due to its general negative impact on the processes occurring in the body.Smoking in women can lead to early menopause. In addition, according to statistics, smoking women start menopause several years earlier than non-smokers. During menopause, smoking reduces the effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy used to prevent osteoporosis.

Of the drugs, the greatest caution should be taken with glucocorticosteroid drugs. This is especially true for people suffering from chronic diseases such as bronchial asthma, rheumatism or arthritis, and regularly taking corticosteroids.Some other medications increase the leaching of calcium from the bone tissue and slow down its regeneration, therefore, before starting to take medications for any diseases, consult your doctor first about their possible side effects on your bone tissue.

Prevention of osteoporosis is largely related to proper nutrition. Excessive consumption of table salt, consumption of large amounts of food containing a lot of proteins and phosphorus (meat and fish products), lead to excessive excretion of calcium in the urine.

Caffeine has the same effect, therefore the constant use of coffee and Coca-Cola also leads to depletion of the body in calcium and the appearance of signs of osteoporosis. Another factor not before the body receives calcium from food is the excessive consumption of coarse-fiber foods containing a lot of fiber, which leads to a decrease in calcium absorption in the intestines.

A sedentary lifestyle and low physical activity lead to the fact that metabolic processes in the body slow down, muscles atrophy, the work of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, bones become thinner and become fragile.All this ultimately leads to the appearance of signs of osteoporosis and, with age, develops into a serious chronic disease of osteoporosis. To avoid such a development of events, you need to lead an active lifestyle, if possible, allocating time for physical education and sports.

If you have already developed the disease of osteoporosis, you should strive to substantially reduce the impact of this disease on your daily life. To do this, you need to figure out what factors lead to curvature of the spine and bone fractures.Knowing all this and observing some simple rules, you can significantly improve the quality of life.

Fractures of the wrist, hip and spine are most common in people with osteoporosis. In accidents, falls and accidents, these parts of the skeleton are most at risk. A small positive sign is that in people with signs of osteoporosis, bones break easily, while healing is almost as good as in healthy people, and painful sensations completely disappear over time.So if you have had fractures before, it is not at all necessary that someday there will be others.

A clear sign of osteoporosis is the curvature of the spine. It occurs due to the fact that the vertebrae, weakened by the disease osteoporosis, become deformed and wedge-shaped in shape. That is why the curvature of the spine increases and the height of a person decreases. This increases the load on the lower back, which leads to muscle pain. To maintain your posture and get rid of pain, you need to regularly perform special exercises to correct your posture and sleep on an orthopedic mattress.

For a woman with signs of osteoporosis, personal safety is very important. Firstly, this is constant observation by a doctor, wearing stable shoes and respecting your own spine. You should not make too sharp movements, carry weights, and if you really need to transfer something heavy, then lift the load without leaning forward, squatting, and carry the load, evenly distributing it for each hand. Secondly, you need to avoid potential hazards, both outdoors and at home.In rain and ice, when it is slippery to walk on the roads, it is better to refrain from walking. At home, making repairs, bathing in the bathroom or cleaning, you must remember your illness and observe safety precautions.

If your doctor has prescribed medication that disturbs your balance, then switch to shoes with flat, preferably grooved soles. Be sure to hold onto the handrail when walking up stairs or riding an escalator. On the street, avoid poorly lit places and watch your step. Try never to rush.

Do your life to prevent osteoporosis. Two axioms – a correct lifestyle and sufficient calcium intake are a sufficient barrier on the path of osteoporosis.

90,000 Osteoporosis (bone loss) is a widespread disease.

What is osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, also known as bone loss, is a metabolic disease of the skeleton in which bones lose their strength.They become porous and brittle. The disease is asymptomatic. The first symptom may be a fracture of the spine or hip.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), osteoporosis is one of the most common diseases of our time. Osteoporosis affects approximately one in four women over the age of 50. The incidence of osteoporosis is higher than that of breast cancer, stroke, and heart attack. ¹

The main task for doctors and patients is to identify the disease as soon as possible.If osteoporosis is diagnosed early, its manifestations can be effectively treated, although there is no cure yet.

Exercise and a healthy diet (vitamin D and calcium) are effective measures The precursor to osteoporosis is osteopenia (decreased bone density). With regular supervision and following the recommendations of a doctor, osteopenia may never progress to osteoporosis. In case of progression, osteoporosis occurs and the need to visit the doctor again so that he prescribes the appropriate therapy.

How does osteoporosis develop?

Some people believe that bones are strong structures that are not subject to change. In fact, this is not the case. Bone is constantly renewed by means of the simultaneous destruction of bone substance and the formation of a new one. Hormones, vitamins and other active substances control this process (bone remodeling). In adolescence and youth, the process of bone formation prevails over destruction. Bone formation slows down with age.After a shift in balance towards the destruction of bone tissue, the bone gradually loses its strength.

Bone density can be estimated using a special study – densitometry.

Osteoporosis is divided into two forms: primary and secondary .

Primary osteoporosis

Primary osteoporosis

Approximately 95% of bone loss is due to primary osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis Type I:
The first type of osteoporosis develops in postmenopausal women (postmenopausal osteoporosis). In this type of osteoporosis, vertebrae are most susceptible to fractures.

Osteoporosis type II:
Osteoporosis type II usually occurs after age 70 (senile osteoporosis). In this type of osteoporosis, the vertebrae, hip bones, and forearm bones are most likely to break.

Risk factors for primary osteoporosis:

• Aging
• Changes in hormonal levels (late menarche, early menopause)
• Hypodynamia
• Long period of immobilization
• Deficiency 5 Diet

9017 (food in fast food chains, sugary carbonated drinks)

• Alcohol abuse, coffee
• Smoking

Secondary osteoporosis

Secondary osteoporosis

Secondary osteoporosis occurs as a result of other diseases or is a side effect of certain medications:

• Anti-inflammatory hormonal drugs for the treatment of asthma or rheumatism (cortisone)
• Hormonal disorders, such as hyperthyroidism
• Tumor diseases

Risk factors for secondary osteoporosis:

• Long-term use of hormonal drugs (asthma, rheumatism)
• Long-term use of coumarin derivatives (marcumar)
• Systematic disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, including diseases of the pancreas, intestines, liver

Chronic kidney disease

• Impaired metabolism of thyroid gland hormones (hypothyroidism) and pancreas (diabetes)
• Cancer

Diagnosis of osteoporosis

A correct and prompt diagnosis is critical for immediate initiation of treatment.Therefore, it is recommended to regularly visit a doctor and conduct screening studies (densitometry) in the presence of risk factors. This applies to postmenopausal women, as well as elderly and senile men. Whenever there is a suspicion of a decrease in bone mass, these suspicions must be confirmed or refuted by instrumental diagnostic methods. Symptoms that suggest osteoporosis are:

• Decreased growth and hyperkyphosis of the thoracic spine (hump)
• Severe chronic pain in the back or sternum
• Bone fractures for no apparent reason, especially spinal fractures due to their own weight

Prevention of osteoporosis

There are various ways to slow down the process of bone destruction.Prevention of osteoporosis should be started already in adolescence, when it is possible to form more massive bones, which will take additional time to weaken after decades. Preventive measures include:

• regular exercise and moderate muscle training (special exercises to train different muscle groups slow down bone loss),
• a healthy and balanced diet with adequate intake of vitamins, proteins and calcium.

The combination of physical activity and proper nutrition keeps bones and muscles healthy for many years.

Osteoporosis treatment

Treatment of osteoporosis is aimed at improving the quality of life of patients. Therapy consists of a combination of several approaches, which are combined by specialized specialists in clinical guidelines for osteoporosis. An effective therapy for osteoporosis should be multi-component:

Drug therapy

The following groups of drugs are used for the treatment of osteoporosis:

SMRE

SERMs (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators) are chemically similar to the hormone estrogen, the production of which decreases after menopause.SERMs activate estrogen receptors and increase bone formation. Moreover, this group of drugs, unlike estrogen, does not increase the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Bisphosphonates

Bisphosphonates slow down the degradation of bone tissue and thus slow down the process of bone loss.

Calcium and vitamin D

Calcium and Vitamin D.Calcium is the main element of the mineral component of bone tissue. He must enter the body in sufficient quantities with food. If calcium intake is insufficient, calcium supplementation is recommended Vitamin D facilitates the absorption of calcium from the gastrointestinal tract and the incorporation of the element into the bone structure.

Parathyroid hormone / teriparatide

Parathyroid hormone / teriparatide stimulates the formation of osteoblasts and increases their activity.Osteoblasts are special cells responsible for bone formation and bone remodeling.

Analgesics

Pain medications relieve pain immediately after fractures (in the acute phase) and relieve chronic pain resulting from vertebral fractures. As you know, pain limits activity, so patients with osteoporosis should receive adequate pain relief therapy.

Motor mode

Exercise is a treatment for osteoporosis. Special physical exercises, developed by physiotherapy specialists and doctors, increase physical activity, improve the functional state of muscles and coordination, and have a positive effect on the overall emotional state.

Therapeutic exercises, especially exercises to train the strength of the muscles of the trunk, must be performed continuously.

A special biofeedback trainer-corrector supports the spine in a physiological position and trains the abdominal and back muscles. In addition to physical therapy, the following types of physical activity are recommended for patients with osteoporosis:

The ideal combination is a combination of strength and endurance training. The more muscle mass, the better the prognosis for bone quality.
Exercising outdoors is especially effective because sunlight stimulates the natural production of vitamin D in the skin.

Important Information: Patients with osteoporosis should always check with their doctor about their level of physical activity and exercise therapy.

Strength training promotes bone formation

Strength training creates biomechanical and biochemical stimuli for bone formation.At the same time, these exercises contribute to the formation of good posture. Strong muscles work in a harmonious and coordinated manner.

The Spinomed Corrector Trainer, when used correctly, also trains muscles. The harness system and aluminum splint create a force that stimulates your own musculature. Thus, the product works almost on a subconscious level. The use of Spinomed is consistent with clinical guidelines for the treatment of osteoporosis. ³

Training Planning

A combination of different types of sports activities is ideal.As a result, muscle mass is increased, bone quality, general condition and a sense of balance are improved. Your attending physician or physical therapy doctor will help you find the right sports and exercise.

Functional orthosis

The work of the skeletal and muscular systems is closely related, therefore, there is usually a simultaneous loss of bone and muscle mass.

For this reason, the treatment of spinal fractures should be functional, not just medication.A vertebral fracture dramatically increases the likelihood of a subsequent fracture and is the cause of chronic pain, low physical activity and associated muscle loss. Modern rehabilitation means for spinal fractures simultaneously train muscles and correct posture at the same time.

In the past, immobilization after spinal fractures in rigid corsets was practiced, but this only led to the progression of osteoporosis. Currently, an increasing number of doctors refuse to use rigid corsets for spinal fractures against the background of osteoporosis, because there are modern means, for example, the Spinomed simulator-corrector.

Medi products: orthotics for osteoporosis

Fractures of the vertebrae in osteoporosis are accompanied by chronic back pain, which severely limits the patient’s physical activity and leads to an even greater progression of the disease. The Spinomed Corrector exercise machine trains muscles and reduces pain, which has been confirmed in clinical studies. ^4.5

The effectiveness of Spinomed and Spinomed active has been confirmed in several clinical studies 5,6:

• the strength of the abdominal and trunk muscles increases by 73 and 56%, respectively,
• the deviation of the body from the vertical axis is reduced by 25%,
• there is a decrease in the thoracic angle hyperkyphosis by 11%,
• there is a decrease in pain intensity by 47%,
• physical activity becomes more comfortable – by 18%,
• respiratory function of the lungs improves by 19%.

Proofreaders Spinomed and Spinomed active were developed by Prof. Helmut W. Minne in collaboration with medi. Spinomed is similar in design to a backpack. Spinomed active is designed as a bodysuit and can be used under outerwear. All Spinomed models act on the biofeedback principle.

Sources

¹ Epidemiologie der Osteoporose: Bone Evaluation Study, Deutsches Ärzteblatt 2013.4, 52 ff.
² Hadji P et al. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2013; 110 (4): 52-57.
³ Lesnyak O.M., Benevolenskaya L.I. Osteoporosis. Diagnostics, prevention and treatment. Clinical guidelines. Ed. 2nd. – M .: “GEOTAR-MED”, 2010.
⁴ Pfeifer M et al. Die Wirkungen einer neu entwickelten Rückenorthese auf Körperhaltung, Rumpfmuskelkraft und Lebensqualität bei Frauen mit postmenopausaler Osteoporose. Eine randomisierte Studie. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2004; 83 (3): 177-186.
⁵ Pfeifer M et al.Die Wirkungen von zwei neu entwickelten Rückenorthesen auf Rumpfmuskelkraft, Körperhaltung und Lebensqualität bei Frauen mit postmenopausaler Osteoporose. Eine randomisierte Studie. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2011; 90 (5): 805-815.

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90,000 Osteoporosis – “silent epidemic”

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by loss of total bone mass.Bones become brittle and break even under light loads. Fractures of the femoral neck or spine are most common, but there are also fractures of other parts of the skeleton. The early stage of osteoporosis is osteopenia, which is characterized by less loss of bone density. The whole body suffers from osteoporosis – teeth fall out, maxillofacial bones sag, growth decreases and, of course, arms, legs, vertebrae, and hip neck break. World medical statistics register about one and a half million fractures a year.Therefore, on October 20, the medical community celebrates World Osteoporosis Day.

From birth until about 30 years of age, bones are impregnated with salts and acquire strength; in old age, due to a decrease in blood circulation and the influence of other factors, a person loses bone mass. Bone tissue, which at first glance does not undergo any changes, is in fact constantly renewed, and every 10 years old bone tissue is absorbed (this is called resorption) and replaced with new one.In children and adolescents, the formation of new bone tissue occurs faster than resorption, and its density increases, reaching a maximum by the age of 18. Then equilibrium sets in – both processes proceed at the same speed. By about 40 years of age, age-related thinning of the bones begins, and resorption gradually takes over.

Normally, the body is constantly renewing bone tissue – the removal of old bone and the formation of a new one. The rate of renewal slows down with age: if in children it is 50% per year, then in adults it is only 5%.After 30 years, the destruction of bones occurs faster than their replacement with new bone tissue. In addition, after about 35 years of age, calcium leaching from bones is more intense than its deposition in bone tissue. Bones become thinner with age, becoming less strong and elastic.

If the calcium reserves in the bones are insufficient, when the aging process has already begun, then the likelihood of developing osteoporosis increases. In addition to calcium, the prevention of osteoporosis requires magnesium and vitamin D. Equally important is the ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the diet.Therefore, the prevention of this disease is proper nutrition and exercise.

It is a common myth that osteoporosis only develops in people who are low on calcium from their diet. A balanced diet is an important component of prevention, but not the only one. In fact, you can eat calcium day and night and achieve nothing but a violation of salt metabolism and the possible formation of kidney stones. Osteoporosis is a disease in which calcium is poorly absorbed by the bones or “washed out” of them, even if there is an excess of it in food.There are several important reasons for this.

1. Bone density depends on the amount of certain hormones in the body, primarily on the sex hormones. In a man’s body, the amount of testosterone is greater than in a woman’s, therefore, in men, bones are initially thicker and stronger than women. That is why men suffer much less from the effects of osteoporosis. The complexion of a person largely depends on the hormonal background and the level of metabolism. Tall and thin, “thin-boned” people are more susceptible to osteoporosis than people of heavy build and short stature.

Women are much more likely to develop osteoporosis than men, accounting for 80% of cases. After 60 years, one in four women suffers from osteoporosis. In men, it occurs four times less often. With age, women are deprived of one of the important “protectors” of bone tissue – estrogens, and with the onset of menopause, the rate of resorption in them sharply increases.

In menopausal women, bone loss is accelerated and calcium absorption and new bone formation are inhibited.After menopause, about half of women lose 1-2% of their bone mass per year. In the same way, the “artificial menopause” caused by operations on bilateral removal of the ovaries affects the density of bones.

2. If a person is deprived of mobility for a year, during this time the skeleton will lose 50% (!) Of its strength. Movement is a factor that determines bone strength. It is because of the lack of physical activity in our century that the signs of osteoporosis can be found in an increasing number of people.In nature, everything is rational: if some organ or system is not used for a long time, then they are not needed – the body turns on the program of their self-destruction. If the bones or the skeleton as a whole are not subjected to physical stress, the bone tissue gradually loses its inherent properties.

3. Diseases that contribute to the development of osteoporosis can be enumerated for a long time – these are diabetes mellitus, diseases of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, chronic renal or hepatic failure, syndrome of impaired absorption in the intestine… Also, a high risk of osteoporosis occurs in patients suffering from bronchial asthma and rheumatoid arthritis (while taking glucocorticoids), as well as in people taking anticonvulsants, diuretics and anticoagulants for a long time.

4. Vitamin D is synthesized in the human body independently, under the influence of sunlight, or enters the body with foods such as fish oil, oil, eggs, liver and milk. Vitamin D is involved in the regulation of calcium absorption in the intestine and the mechanism of bone formation.Accordingly, a lack of sunlight or a lack of nutrition in the above foods increases the risk of developing osteoporosis.

5. Studies carried out in recent years have unequivocally established a trend towards a decrease in bone mass in people who regularly consume alcohol, compared with nondrinkers, and equally in both women and men. Unlike alcohol, smoking affects women to a greater extent – women who smoke have a lower concentration of sex hormones in the blood and they have an earlier menopause.All this leads to a faster thinning of the bones.

The incidence of osteoporosis is rapidly increasing every year. Osteoporosis is an “epidemic without symptoms.” It is characterized by an asymptomatic course in the first 10-15 years. There may be complaints of bone pain (especially in the lumbar and thoracic spine, may resemble sciatica), slow decrease in growth, change in posture, limitation of physical activity, loss of body weight.

Most often, osteoporosis is manifested by mild symptoms with almost no complaints, very often the disease is detected only in the presence of fractures.This feature of the disease gave scientists a reason to call osteoporosis “a silent epidemic.” Of course, with osteoporosis there are back pains, but these are aching pains of “fatigue” that arise only after a relatively long (more than 30 minutes) stay in one static position. Other indirect signs of the disease include senile stoop (hump), nocturnal leg cramps, fatigue, periodontal disease, brittle nails, and premature graying. And although the presence of these symptoms is not one hundred percent confirmation of the diagnosis, it still allows us to determine the range of studies required to clarify it.Almost all cases of fractures in people over 65 are associated with this disease. Experts advise: to prevent fractures in osteoporosis, follow the minimum safety precautions: remove sliding rugs at home, wires of electrical appliances from the aisles. Avoid high heels and wear comfortable shoes. Use a stick or walking device if your gait becomes unstable. Equip your bathroom with special handrails. Make your life more convenient and secure.

The prevalence of osteoporosis in the Krasnoyarsk Territory reflects world statistics. Most of the patients are postmenopausal women. Today, in the polyclinic on the basis of the Regional Clinical Hospital, an Osteoporosis Center has been created, in which patients can undergo the necessary examination and determine the severity of the disease. After that, the specialists determine the individual treatment tactics. To do this, you need to get a referral from the surgeon at the place of residence in the prescribed manner.

It should be noted that in recent years, scientists have managed to get into the essence of the processes of formation and resorption of bone tissue, which, according to experts, will help in the development of new methods for the prevention and treatment of this disease.

The selection uses WHO statistics, materials from specialists of the Regional Clinical Hospital, Internet resources.

90,000 Factors affecting the state of bone tissue

Factors affecting the state of bone tissue

1.Genetic factors

Generally, white and Asian women are at greater risk of osteoporosis, especially those who are short and / or underweight for their height. There is some evidence for a role for hereditary factors in bone mass development that is independent of calcium and other nutrient intake patterns.

It has been suggested that approximately 75% of the hereditary influence on the likelihood of developing osteoporosis in humans is due to a specific variant in the gene that is responsible for encoding the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D receptor.

2.Floor

Women are more prone to osteoporosis than men. Deficiency of the female hormone estrogen caused by menopause or ovarian removal leads to accelerated bone loss. Estrogen deficiency during menopause also reduces calcium absorption. As a result, bone mass decreases. During menopause, women experience an accelerated loss of bone mass (2-3% per year).

The role of estrogen in maintaining bone health is also due to its ability to inhibit the action of parathyroid hormone (PTH), which increases bone resorption.

3. Calcium

Epidemiological evidence suggests that increased calcium intake during childhood and adolescence leads to higher peak bone density. Calcium in combination with vitamin D is needed to strengthen bones, increase bone mass, and reduce the incidence of fractures. It is recommended to take 1000 mg of elemental calcium per day for young women. Individuals over the age of 51 should consume at least 1200 mg of calcium per day.Calcium is best consumed with food, but dietary supplements can be used if calcium is low in the diet.

4. Phosphorus

Phosphorus is found in most foods. Several studies have shown the adverse effects of an excess of phosphorus in the diet or a low calcium / phosphorus ratio on bone health. It is generally recommended that the ratio of calcium / phosphorus in the diet be between 1: 2 and 2: 1.

5. Lactose

Several human studies have shown that lactose from milk sugar has a beneficial effect on calcium absorption.Lactose intolerance
appears to have little effect on calcium absorption from dairy products consumed in moderation and from non-dairy products. 6. Protein

6. Protein

High protein intake is known to increase urinary calcium excretion. Adequate protein intake is essential to reduce bone mineral density loss and fracture risk, especially in older women.

7. Vitamin D

Adequate vitamin D status is essential for effective utilization of dietary calcium.Both the liver and kidneys are involved in the hydroxylation of the vitamin and converting it to the metabolically active form, which is necessary to facilitate intestinal absorption of calcium. Vitamin D status in humans depends on dietary intake of this vitamin and / or exposure to sunlight (ultraviolet rays). Older adults may not get enough vitamin A in their diet and / or not get enough exposure to sunlight. Also, the conversion of the vitamin to its active form by the kidneys is less efficient with age.Seniors who have limited exposure to sunlight, for example, because they live in areas where winters are long, may require supplemental vitamin D. In addition, people with kidney or liver disease may need to supplement with an appropriate vitamin D metabolite.

8. Vitamin C

Disruption of collagen synthesis can be the cause of osteoporosis, because this process is combined with the deposition of minerals during bone formation.When vitamin C is deficient, the ability to form mature collagen fibers is significantly reduced. In older age, as well as in smokers, vitamin C levels are low, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis.

9. Vitamin K

Osteocalcin, a vitamin K-dependent protein, accounts for 15–20% of the non-collagen protein in bone. It is produced by osteoblasts during the formation of bone matrix and appears in bones with the onset of hydroxyapatite deposition. Osteocalcin synthesis is enhanced by vitamin D, and its concentration in the bone is directly proportional to the amount of calcium in the bone.Thus, vitamin K deficiency may be associated with increased skeletal fragility.

10. Magnesium

About two-thirds of the body’s magnesium is present in the skeleton. Normal serum magnesium levels are essential for proper calcium metabolism, as hypomagnesemia leads to hypocalcemia. Thus, adequate calcium intake may not provide adequate bone health if magnesium is abnormal. Several studies in older men and women have found that magnesium intake improves bone mineral density.

11. Silicon

Silicon is involved in bone calcification. Silicon is present in high concentrations in collagen, and with a deficiency of silicon, the concentration of collagen in bones decreases, that is, silicon plays a role in the biosynthesis of bone collagen.

12. Dietary fiber

Dietary fiber can have a chelating effect on calcium, which prevents its absorption in the intestine. As a result, people who are high in fiber, such as cellulose, whole wheat, fruits and vegetables, may have a negative calcium balance despite consuming enough calcium.It is estimated that consuming 26 g of protein increases the need for calcium by about 150 mg / day. Eating large amounts of oxalate and phytic acid in foods can reduce the absorption of calcium, but in the amounts present in the normal diet, they do not affect calcium absorption.

13. Vegetarian diet

Vegetarians lose less bone mass than people on a regular diet. This is due to the lower percentage of sulfur-containing amino acids in the proteins of plant products than in meat.The inclusion of soy products in the diet reduces urinary calcium excretion and has a beneficial effect on bone mineral density. Fruits and vegetables are important sources of potassium and magnesium. Potassium contributes to calcium retention in the kidneys, while magnesium is necessary for calcium balance.

14. Caffeine

Caffeine and caffeinated beverages such as coffee increase urinary calcium excretion. Excessive consumption of caffeine can increase the risk of osteoporosis due to increased calcium excretion.
15. Alcohol

Bone loss and osteoporosis have been observed in relatively young and middle-aged men with chronic alcoholism.

In chronic alcoholics, osteoporosis can be caused by the direct toxic effects of alcohol on the bones and / or insufficient intake of certain nutrients, including calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and protein, from food. Also, in chronic alcoholism, there is a violation of calcium absorption due to insufficiency of the pancreas, steatorrhea, increased loss of calcium in the urine, hypercortisolism, stimulation of the parathyroid glands, which can also affect the change in bone metabolism.Alcoholics may also be at increased risk of falls.

16. Smoking

Cigarette smoking can cause calcium loss. Women who smoke, especially those who are thin, are at an increased risk of fractures compared to nonsmokers. In addition, premenopausal smokers have lower serum estrogen concentrations and menopause earlier than non-smokers.

17. Taking medicines

Medicines such as heparin, corticosteroids, diuretics and some anti-TB drugs are known to cause calcium loss.Aluminum antacids also cause calcium loss and intense bone demineralization.

18. Physical activity

Exercise is known to increase bone mass, and physical inactivity associated with aging or immobilization contributes to bone loss. Bone mass in athletes exceeds that of sedentary people, and exercise reduces bone loss associated with age.The optimal type and amount of physical activity that can prevent osteoporosis has not been established. Strenuous exercise such as walking and jogging are more beneficial than non-weight activities such as swimming and cycling. The evidence for the benefits of exercise is strong enough to recommend it in any osteoporosis prevention or treatment program

19. Toxic effect of certain minerals

There are several minerals that can cause toxic effects.These include cadmium, lithium and lead. Cadmium is present in tobacco smoke and can also enter the body through industrial pollution. Certain types of intestinal parasites increase the absorption of cadmium. The kidneys are the target tissue for its accumulation, therefore cadmium can have an adverse effect on the body and, in particular, the state of the bones, causing damage to the kidneys and altering the metabolism of vitamin D. Lead adversely affects the formation of the active form of vitamin D. Lithium is easily retained in bones due to its physicochemical similarity with calcium and magnesium and may interfere with the action of the parathyroid hormone.Chronic lithium therapy can cause osteoporosis, especially in women.

Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis – Federal State Budgetary Institution “NMITs TPM” of the Ministry of Health of Russia

Osteoporosis: the concept and causes of the disease

Osteoporosis is a disease associated with the loss of calcium in the bones. Most often it appears in women, which is explained, first of all, by the onset of menopause. During this period, there is a decrease in the calcium content and the strength of the bone tissue, as a result of which the bones become more fragile and easily damaged.Elderly people aged 60-70, including men, also suffer from this ailment.

Due to osteoporosis, fractures of the bones of the thigh, forearm, and vertebrae in the back are possible. Often a person is not even aware of the development of a similar disease in him. But osteoporosis has its own symptoms. For example, it can be suspected in case of pain in the lumbar and thoracic regions of the back, stoop, pain in the spine and its deformities. Also, osteoporosis, the symptoms of which cannot be started, can be expressed by increased fatigue.

The causes of the disease are a decrease in the calcium content in the bones, as well as a decrease in the amount of vitamin D. In addition, its appearance is associated with a decrease in physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and also taking certain medications.

Diagnosis of osteoporosis

Clinical diagnosis of osteoporosis includes various studies. It allows you to detect the presence of a disease and prevent adverse consequences in the future.One of the easiest ways to determine the condition of bone tissue is X-ray. But this method is most effective for detecting late symptoms of the disease, for example, deformities of the vertebrae or bone fractures.

Also in medicine, densitometry is used to diagnose osteoporosis, which measures the amount of a mineral component in the bones, that is, calcium. It can be ultrasound or radiological. The latter type of this procedure allows you to determine the density of bone tissue and the amount of hydroxyapatite contained in it.With it, doctors can find out which area is most at risk of fractures, as well as determine the amount of bone loss and the effectiveness of treatment. Ultrasonic densitometry makes it possible to obtain data on the mechanical state of bones.

In order to diagnose osteoporosis, laboratory tests using biochemical markers may be prescribed. They make it possible to determine the intensity of bone metabolism. For the diagnosis of osteoporosis, indicators of calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, deoxypyridonoline and osteocalcin are important.For 12 hours before the procedure, you should refrain from eating.
Our osteoporosis treatment center conducts comprehensive diagnostics for the detection of the disease and offers a wide range of other medical services using modern equipment.

Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis

To avoid the appearance of the disease or prevent its development, you need to monitor your body. Therefore, we need timely prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

First of all, you should lead a healthy lifestyle, that is, give up addictions and eat the right food with sufficient calcium and other minerals.In addition, sunbathing is useful for saturating the body with vitamin D and moderate physical activity, which cannot be avoided. Osteoporosis treatment also involves adhering to a special diet, taking medication, and performing a special set of exercises. All this will stop the development of a destructive disease.

90,000 How to keep your bones healthy to prevent osteoporosis

ST readers are consulted by the chief freelance specialist-rheumatologist of the Ugra Department of Health, the head of the clinical diagnostic center for rheumatology and osteoporosis, Inna Bannikova.

Inna Gennadievna, who is most often affected by osteoporosis?

– Osteoporosis is more common in women because it is associated with disharmonious adjustment during change and post-menopause. At this time, a woman can lose up to ten percent of the mass of the skeleton per year. Therefore, without fail, all women should take calcium and monitor the level of vitamin D, because without it, calcium will not be absorbed. It is recommended, if there are no contraindications, to take hormone replacement therapy.

Older men are also prone to osteoporosis. They lose bone mass later than women, by the age of 70-75, because initially the skeleton in men is stronger. Smoking is also a significant risk factor for calcium loss. In addition, there is a hereditary predisposition. If the mother had a hip fracture, you should definitely see an osteoporosis specialist.

That is, the disease can manifest itself in absolutely everyone?

– A person is born already with a certain amount of bone strength.By the age of 23, he gains the necessary bone mass and then reaches a plateau of bone mass. And after 30-35 years, bone loss gradually begins. By the way, the cause of bone loss can be diseases or a side effect of taking medications that a person cannot do without.

What should be monitored to prevent the development of this disease?

– Residents of our region especially need to monitor the level of vitamin D.It is synthesized in the skin under the influence of sunlight, and we have few of them. So it will be missed a priori. Therefore, it is necessary to control the level of vitamin D at least twice a year – with which indicator we enter the winter and with which we go out in the spring. The required rate is 40-70 nanograms per milliliter.

What else do you recommend?

– First of all, people of the older age group – 65+ need to be examined. We also refer patients who are at risk of osteoporosis for examination.These are those in whom the disease may be accompanied by bone loss. Women who are at risk of bone loss (post- and menopause) are advised to undergo an annual bone mineral density test. Osteoporosis is a silent disease. Slowly and surely, a person loses bone mass and does not even know about it until he has a low-traumatic fracture. To the trivial – trauma from falling from a height of one’s own growth, even from sneezing or coughing.

That is, osteoporosis itself in the early stages does not signal a person?

– Often, the debut of fractures is hardly noticeable.In vertebral fractures, spongy bone is the first to suffer – people have spongy bone and compact bone, the ends of long bones are in the vertebrae, in the sacrum – all these are spongy bone. The transverse beams disappear. They are thinning. He stepped abruptly, jumped, sat abruptly in the bus – and these small beams sag. As a result, over time, the vertebra is deformed and takes on the appearance of a broken line. A large fracture is formed from small microfractures. Therefore, the disease often starts imperceptibly.When the vertebra has already completely subsided, pain begins from the pressure of the nerve roots. Then the person begins to notice that something is bothering him! In such patients, on x-rays, the spine looks like keys – a whole, sagging, broken …

This is already a deplorable situation …

– In order not to come to such a deplorable situation, women should take hormone replacement therapy during post- and menopause, if there are no contraindications, calcium with vitamin D.It’s not that much. And this will be enough not to come to a situation of immobilization.

90,000 Five Steps to Health

October 20 is World Osteoporosis Prevention Day.

By decision of the World Health Organization, October 20 was declared World Osteoporosis Day. In Russia, this day has been celebrated since 2005. Osteoporosis is a disease in which bone density decreases due to calcium loss. As a result, the bones become too thin and fragile, this leads to a weakening of the skeleton, an increase in the risk of fractures, especially of the spine, forearm, hip and shoulder joints.

Doctors sound the alarm – insufficient awareness of the danger of this disease, low efficiency of clinical examination and prevention of age-related diseases among the population of our country, seriously limit the effectiveness of the fight against osteoporosis. Olga Agureeva, a rheumatologist at the OKDC, tells about what you need to know about this disease and how to protect yourself from it.

– Olga Viktorovna, what is the situation with the incidence of osteoporosis in our country? And who is more susceptible to the disease?

– According to statistics, at the moment, about 34 million people are at high risk – this is 24% of the population of Russia.About 14 million inhabitants of the country, and this is almost 10% of the population, already suffer from this dangerous disease, and the majority already have clinically pronounced fractures due to fragility of bone tissue.

Postmenopausal women are most susceptible to osteoporosis, 38% of women over 50 years old are diagnosed with osteoporosis. The incidence rate among men is slightly lower – 26.9% – these are patients after 50 years.

Which, however, does not mean at all that men are less susceptible to the disease, it is just that, most often, the diagnosis is made when the patient goes to the doctor with fractures.According to statistics, every 5 minutes in our country there are cases of a fracture of the proximal femur, and this is 100 thousand fractures annually.

– The numbers are impressive, you can imagine what a huge economic loss for the state and what a tragedy for people who suddenly lost their ability to work. …

– The consequences of osteoporosis pose a real threat to human life itself. After the first fracture, the risk of subsequent fractures increases significantly, the development of the first vertebral fracture increases the risk of repeated vertebral fractures by 4 times and hip fractures by 2 times, the so-called cascade of fractures is triggered.

On average, osteoporosis reduces life expectancy by 12-20%. In some regions of Russia, mortality during the first year after a fracture of the femoral neck reaches 45-52%.

– What are the causes of osteoporosis?

– The cause can be a combination of a number of factors, such as age over 65, hereditary factors, smoking, alcohol abuse, calcium and vitamin D deficiency in the body, low physical activity, frequent falls.

To reduce the risk of developing an ailment, you need to seriously engage in prevention, the key aspects of which are physical activity, vitamin D intake, the use of foods containing calcium, and the elimination of the threat of falls.

– What specific advice do you give your patients? Can we talk about some “step-by-step instructions” in the prevention of osteoporosis?

– The first is moderate physical activity and special exercises aimed at strengthening muscles and coordinating movements.The second is a diet rich in bone-healthy calcium, vitamin D and protein. Dairy products – milk, yogurt, cheese, contain the most calcium, protein, and other minerals needed to strengthen bones. Calcium is also found in some fruits, green vegetables, and canned fish.

If this is not enough, you need to take additional drugs, but not more than 500-600 mg of calcium per day along with vitamin D. Plus giving up bad habits and maintaining a normal body weight.

– If a person has not undergone a dispensary examination, he may not even know that he suffers from osteoporosis, does the disease manifest itself in the early stages?

– To identify risk factors that can lead to osteoporosis or fractures, a prophylactic examination and a bone mineral density test or FRAX to determine the risk of osteoporosis should be performed.

– When the diagnosis of osteoporosis has already been made, is it possible to cope with the disease?

– There are many proven drugs that can help improve bone mineral density and reduce the risk of fractures.Take your prescribed medications, and if you have any doubts about side effects, see your doctor. Since the result of treatment is not always immediately apparent, many patients stop taking their medication. But this is not worth doing.

An effective fight against osteoporosis is possible only with the active use of innovative treatment methods that are successfully used all over the world, including in the Regional Consultative and Diagnostic Center.

Since 2006, the regional center for the prevention of osteoporosis has been successfully operating on the basis of the rheumatological service of the OKDC.Diagnostics and treatment of the disease are carried out here at the level of world standards. The modern high-precision dual-energy apparatus “Lunar” determines the loss of bone mineral density with a reliability of 1-2%.

Treatment of patients with osteoporosis with monitoring of therapy is carried out using markers of osteoporosis, serum osteocalcin, cross-laps of urine, as well as determining the level of vitamin D. To exclude secondary forms of the disease, the hormonal status of patients is examined, spiral computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are performed both the spine and internal organs.

On October 20, the specialists of our center will hold an Open Day dedicated to the World Osteoporosis Day. All participants in this promotion will be able to take a One Minute Test for free to determine the possible risk of developing osteoporosis.