Risk factors for osteoporosis – Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become brittle and so higher risk of fractures (broken or cracked) than normal bones.
Osteoporosis is a situation where the density of the bone is no longer dense. This situation most often occurs in women, but men are also not likely to experience osteoporosis, especially in women and men above 50 years of age.
Osteoporosis occurs due to an imbalance between new bone formation and old bone resorption. Osteoporosis usually has no signs or symptoms until a fracture occurs specifically. This is because osteoporosis often referred to as a ‘silent disease’.
Risk factors for osteoporosis
Risk factors for osteoporosis are divided into two, namely, that can be changed and which cannot be changed. The following explanation:
Risk factors for osteoporosis that can be changed
Too much alco**hol can cause bone is porous.
Smo**king have bad effects for bones, heart, and lungs.
Body mass index below or equal to 19.
Nutrition / The food factor.
- Low calcium intake. Calcium plays an important role in the process of bone formation, so the lack of these substances causes bones to become brittle.
- Strict Diet. Both men and women who underwent a strict diet or weight below normal is closely related to the increased risk of osteoporosis.
- Gastrointestinal Surgery. Surgery that reduces the length of the intestine in the stomach or intestine removes will inhibit the absorption of calcium. This contribute at the onset of osteoporosis.
Read also: Healthy Eating Tips.
Lack of exercise,
Less or no exercise can lead to weak bones.
Hormone levels in the body.
Osteoporosis is more common in those who had hormone levels are too high or too low. The hormones in question are:
- Se**x Hormones. Declining estrogen levels in menopausal women become one of the risk factors for osteoporosis. It also occurs in women who are undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Whereas in men, tes**tosterone levels decline along with the age, or the men who were in the treatment of pros**tate cancer is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis.
- Thyroid Hormone. High levels of thyroid hormone can cause loss of bone mass.
- Other glands. Osteoporosis is also associated with hyperactivity of the parathyroid and adrenal glands.
A Medical Condition.
- Medication routine. Long term use of drugs such as corticosteroids, cortisone and prednisone, will inhibit the formation of new bone. Osteoporosis is also related to drugs for seizures, gastric reflux, as well as cancer.
- Health disorders. Some health disorders that also affect, among others, Irritable Bowel Disease, liver or kidney disease, cancer, lupus, multiple myeloma, rheumatoid arthritis.
Risk factors for osteoporosis that cannot be changed
- Age, Getting older, the risk of osteoporosis will increase.
- Gender. Women are more at risk of experiencing osteoporosis than men. This is due to the influence of the estrogen hormone in the body which begin to decline from the age of 35 years.
- Family history, If you have a family member with osteoporosis, you are at risk of experiencing the same thing.
- Use of corticosteroids,
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Ethnic. White ethnicities experiencing a higher risk of osteoporosis.
- Body posture. Woman or man who has posture that tend to be thin or small risk experiencing osteoporosis.
Because peak bone density is achieved at about the age of 25, then it is very important for building strong bones in all ages, so the bones will remain strong in the future. Adequate calcium intake is an important part for strong bones.
A lot of things that can occur in people with osteoporosis, especially broken bones (fractures). The most commonly broken bone is the vertebrae (spine), the base of the femur (hip), the bones of the wrist.