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How can you prevent osteoporosis?
- By building up strong, healthy bone tissue during the skeleton's formative years.
- By preventing excessive bone loss during midlife and old age.
Bone is a living tissue that continually remodels itself during life. Some bone cells absorb bone tissue, while others re-form the bone's surfaces. Normally, these processes are well-balanced. A person's peak bone mass occurs at about age 35, then begins declining because the two processes - the breakdown of bone and the development of bone tissue -go out of balance.
The best way to build up a healthy amount of bone mass before you turn 35 is to get plenty of weight-bearing activities such as walking or running and to eat a healthy diet with enough calcium. Calcium sources include milk and other dairy products, dark green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, canned sardines or salmon with bones.
After age 35, continue a calcium-rich diet and exercise program. Many people take calcium supplements. However, it's important if you are considering using supplements to check with your doctor first, especially if you have a history of kidney stones. People who take calcium supplements unnecessarily or who take too much could develop painful kidney stones.
Remember as well that without enough vitamin D, the body cannot absorb calcium and deposit it in the bones. Talk to your doctor about how much vitamin D you need. Taking too much vitamin D can cause toxic side effects. Symptoms of vitamin D poisoning may include nausea, headache, excessive urination, high blood pressure, kidney stones, kidney damage and other problems.
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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