Osteoperosis: The Curse for the Woman of the Western World

So much has been said and has been written about osteoporosis or thinning of the bones that you would imagine that by now we have got it all sorted out and under control. Sadly the opposite seems to be true; more panic, more operations, and more confusion. See if we can help.
Let’s start with looking at the risk factors for osteoporosis; in other words things that make it more likely that YOU will end up with thin fragile bones. In 1988 Pocock & Eisman published a set of risk factors which up to date are still widely accepted. These include:

Caucasian or Asian race
A family history of osteoporosis
Menopause, particularly if it is early (premature)
Chronic steroid use
Alcoholism
Lifelong calcium supplement intake
Leanness
Sedentary lifestyle, immobilisation
Medical disease or illness: gastric or bowel resection, thyroid hyperactivity, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, liver or kidney disease

On the grounds of these risk factors the treatment for osteoporosis as endorsed by the National Osteoporosis Society is as follows:

Pain management: includes bed rest and immobilisation, painkillers and anti-inflammatories, heat and ice, and TENS machine, surgery.
Physiotherapy
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Biphosphonates inactivate the bone-destroying cell (Didronel PMO, Fosamax)
Vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium into the bloodstream
Calcitonin inactivates the bone-destroying cell

Shall we now take a closer look at the risk factors and put them in the perspective of treatment.

You cannot change the fact that you are of Caucasian or Asian origin but if other people are less likely to end up with osteoporosis than I suspect that might have something to do with diet and lifestyle.
If you have a family history of brittle bones you are more at risk. Again, family diet and lifestyle habits play a major factor in this type of tendency. And let’s not forget that fifty years ago osteoporosis was unheard off, did not exist except in cases of extreme illness or bone disease.
An early menopause put you more at risk; not so much the menopause itself but rather the premature menopause. May I point out that very much indicates previous menstrual and ovarian problems, which off course are diet and lifestyle related.
Chronic steroid use is a known cause of osteoporosis. Yet we freely prescribe it for allergies, skin eruptions, asthma, bronchitis, joint problems, polymyalgia, and auto-immune diseases. We say it is safe to give to your toddler, your teenager and all adults. We use it in the meat industry; in sport and performance related jobs.
Chronic alcohol intake reduces bone density. How much the real alcohol consumption in your house?
A lifelong calcium supplementation puts you at risk for osteoporosis. However, no difference in osteoporosis has been established between high and low calcium diets in different cultural groups. We also know that chronic gastrointestinal disorders interfere with calcium absorption and that the majority of osteoporosis patients suffer from calcium malabsorption. A high protein diet (meat) dissolves bone matter; combined with a high fat diet which reduces calcium absorption. Excess salt intake interferes with the calcium metabolism. More worrying, a high phosphorus intake Carbonated soft drinks, processed foods, cheeses, contaminated farm land) actually causes osteoporosis and renders all treatment ineffective.
Thin people are more at risk than well padded ones. This is only a relative risk in case of a fall or accident; it doesn’t actually mean that your bones are going to snap under normal strain.
Sitting down and not using your muscles and joints is a definite contributory factor to the loss of strength of the bones. If you don’t use it, you’ll loose it. This is totally a cultural factor; appalling lifestyle habits. On top of that, doctors are very keen to immobilise joints for read more