A Bone Health Expert Wishes Everyone Over 50 Would Eat More Of This 1 Food
A Bone Health Expert Wishes Everyone Over 50 Would Eat More Of This 1 Food
Let's also talk about a couple of the worst offenders for bone health.
On Assignment For HuffPost
Osteoporosis is a health condition that can really sneak up on you. Its early stages typically don’t cause any symptoms; it isn’t until a bone is broken or fractured that many people are diagnosed, and that can hurt.
“Osteoporosis is a disorder of bone quality and strength that increases the susceptibility for fractures,” explained Dr. Rozalina McCoy, an endocrinologist and associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
McCoy explained that osteoporosis is diagnosed through a DEXA scan, which is an X-ray that measures bone density. “A DEXA scan can tell us what someone’s fracture risk is, which is the main concern. Low bone density is the biggest indicator, but there’s an additional component of bone quality, too,” McCoy said.
According to scientific research, the risk of osteoporosis rises significantly with age, especially for women 50 and older, and men 70 and older. According to research published in the journal Clinical Medicine, 50% of women and 20% of men 50 and older will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture.
“As we age, we become less efficient at rebuilding bone, tend to be less physically active and absorb nutrients like calcium less effectively from food,” said Dr. Yesika Garcia, an endocrinologist with the Medical Offices of Manhattan and a contributor to LabFinder.
Garcia explained the reason women 50 and older are at an increased risk for osteoporosis is because of the drop in oestrogen after menopause. This matters because oestrogen helps regulate the balance between bone formation and breakdown, which is important for maintaining bone density. But after menopause, the protective effect from oestrogen is lost.
Fortunately, there are ways to lower your risk of osteoporosis, including eating more of one food........
