A. You ask the question on MANY women's minds!!
Osteoporosis is a disease affecting 20-25 million residents of the USA. Although it affects both men and women, bone loss is accelerated in women after menopause and they are therefore more prone to fractures and complications.
Although trying to identify women at high risk for developing osteoporosis is not always successful, risk factors include:
The best treatment for osteoporosis is prevention, and the best prevention is an active and healthy adolescence which will help ensure a maximal bone mass potential.
As for calcium supplements...the evidence is controversial. It is true that an insufficient dietary supply of calcium will result in calcium from the bones being used to keep the calcium in the blood stable ( a tightly controlled system). However, evidence for how calcium supplements might increase bone mass or reduce bone fractures is not convincing.
Basically, what I'm telling you is old fashioned common sense; that a healthy diet, increase in exercise (weight bearing and aerobic) and reduction in alcohol and cigarettes will be your best bet to avoid osteoporosis. The next question comes at menopause when you face the controversy about hormone replacement. But that's another question.
Some interesting STATISTICS on osteoporosis.
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