Factors influencing osteoporosis

| Osteoporosis is a silent disease, anyone can suffer from osteoporosis and not know it. Which are the risk factors? Can we avoid getting osteoporosis over the years?

There are risk factors that cannot be modified, leading to bone loss, although there are also factors that can be modified and reduce the risk.

Risk factor's

• Age: The risk of osteoporosis increases with age. Osteoporosis can develop at any age, but it is much more common: in menopause, due to the hormonal imbalance that causes a faster loss of bone mass and, in older people, due to the natural aging process itself.
• Sex: Women are at higher risk of osteoporosis than men, but both men and women can lose bone density and develop osteoporosis.
• Being small and thin: The risk is higher in thin people with small bones and lower in people with weight. Heavy people are at lower risk for several reasons; extra body fat increases estrogen production (protects against rapid bone loss), increases the weight that bones have to bear (makes them stronger), and can lessen the impact of blows in the event of a fall ( protects bones from fracture).
• Family history of osteoporosis: A person who has a family history of osteoporosis is at higher risk of developing it.
• Taking certain medications: Some medications cause bone loss.
• Being a Caucasian or Asian woman: People of all races and ethnic groups can develop osteoporosis. However, African Americans tend to be less at risk than Asians or Caucasians.

How can it be avoided?

• Physical activity: exercise practiced regularly and for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, helps increase bone mass and protects against osteoporosis. Exercises with load are recommended, that is, they work against the force of gravity (walking, climbing stairs,….)
• Hormones: In women, having low estrogen levels due to missed periods or menopause can cause osteoporosis. In men, low testosterone levels can also cause it. Post-menopausal hormone treatments can help prevent bone loss but should always be taken under medical supervision due to the risk they may pose to health.
• Tobacco: Smokers have a higher risk of osteoporosis than non-smokers. smoking increases bone loss, interferes with calcium absorption.
• Diet: Diet plays a key role in bone health. To reduce the risk of osteoporosis, it is especially important to eat a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. Rich sources of calcium include dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese), nuts, whole grains, green leafy vegetables and foods fortified with calcium (orange juice, cereal, bread). Rich sources of vitamin D (eggs, "fatty" fish, dairy), as well as direct exposure to sunlight, help create vitamin D through the skin.

Prevention is essential, since although there are treatments for osteoporosis, there is no cure. Therefore, from youth, having a healthy lifestyle (practicing physical exercise, avoiding tobacco consumption and alcohol abuse), following an adequate diet and performing bone density control tests (densiometry) is the best guarantee of health.