Keeping your skeleton strong
Lots of people worry about their appearance and weight, but few bother to stress about the state of their skeleton – even though ignoring our bones may have devastating implications in later life.
Osteoporosis, a disease that affects one in three women and one in five men, occurs when bones lose density. It results in large holes in the delicate honeycomb structure of the skeleton, which then leaves bones very prone to fracture.
Building healthy bones during the teens through the 20s is key, but lifestyle changes at every age may also reduce the risk of suffering from a condition that affects around three million people in the UK each year.
"Many people disregard osteoporosis as just a condition affecting the elderly, and don't realise that there are many steps they can take at different ages to improve their bones," explains Sarah Leyland, helpline manager at the National Osteoporosis Society.
"While bone loss occurs naturally in everyone as they get older, broken bones because of osteoporosis are not an inevitable part of ageing."
The condition is associated with post-menopausal women because the protective effect of oestrogen is lost after this time. The lifetime risk of a fracture in women at age 50 is greater than the risk of breast cancer or cardiovascular disease.
But research commissioned by the charity found that 70 per cent of people under 30 are either unsure when they'll make lifestyle changes to ensure strong bones or won't make any.
"Osteoporosis is often referred to as the 'silent disease' as it may remain undetected until the time of the first broken bone, which commonly occurs in the wrist, hip or spine," Leyland says.
Check out our guide to maintaining bone health throughout the key stages in life.
Birth to 10
Research shows that bone quality in old age depends largely on diet and lifestyle as babies, children, and young adults.
Prof Roger Francis, chair of the National Osteoporosis Society's medical advisory board, explains that bone-building cells (osteoblasts) work much harder in young children than bone-eating cells (osteoclasts).
"That's to help the skeleton grow as the child develops and it needs ever increasing amounts of calcium," he says.
What Bones Need: Up to 550mg of calcium a day. Calcium-rich foods include dairy products such as yoghurt, calcium-fortified soy milk, orange juice, and green leafy vegetables.
Custard, rice pudding or soy-based drinks are other good sources of calcium. Foods with slightly less calcium include baked beans, cereals, bread, cheese spread and dried fruits.
Age 10 to 18
Bones stop growing in length at around age 18 but continue to strengthen until the mid 20s.
"Just before puberty, calcium really accelerates bone growth," Prof Francis says.
"Unfortunately, it's just at this time many teens start to avoid dairy foods and drink fizzy drinks."
Girls and boys need around 1000mg of calcium a day. Eating disorders can also affect future bone density.
What Bones Need: As well as a healthy diet containing calcium-rich foods, exercise is key as it makes our skeleton stronger. Muscles pull on the bone when we move, encouraging new growth.
A Sheffield University study found that it was possible to increase the bone density of teenage girls by giving them extra milk over just 18 months.
Children may find it difficult to absorb enough Vitamin D from food sources such as egg yolks and milk, but exposure to the sun's UVB rays for just 10-15 minutes a day on their hands and feet, without sunscreen, between May and October should provide enough Vitamin D throughout the year. Do not allow skin to burn.
The 20s
Bone mass development reaches its peak in the early 20s, so this is the time to 'bank' bone for later in life.
There are concerns that people aged 18 to 24 are unaware of the condition, according to the Society's research. Instead of building bone health during the vital teens and 20s, they are endangering by indulging in junk food, smoking, alcohol, and taking little exercise.
What Bones Need: Young adults need around 700mg of calcium a day, contained in milk and dairy products, including low fat varieties.
Other foods containing calcium include almonds, sesame and sunflower seeds, broccoli, tinned salmon, sardines or pilchards – but make sure you eat the bones as well. Leafy green vegetables such as kale are also good sources of calcium.
Breast feeding mothers may need to boost calcium intake further, by around an extra 550mg (around two glasses of milk a day). Pregnant women should not take Vitamin D supplements without seeking a doctor's advice.
What Bones Need: Resistance training and weight-bearing exercise like jogging, dancing, tennis – even running up and down stairs – help build bone and can re-duce stress levels.
This is important as cortisol – the hormone released when we are stressed – suppresses bone formation and may lead to a decrease in calcium absorption.
30s to 50s
Bone loss starts around now – in the 30s the rate at which bone is broken down starts to exceed the rate at which new bone is formed.
Women lose around 10 per cent of their bone mass in their 40s and 50s as they go through the menopause due to the drop in oestrogen levels.
Men's bones are more protected because they continue to produce sex hormones all their life.
Taking certain drugs, such as oral steroids over a long period (for conditions such as asthma), may affect bone density. Illnesses such as Crohn's or coeliac disease can also interfere with the body's capacity to absorb nutrients.
What Bones Need: A good diet and regular exercise – at least three times a week for a minimum 20 minutes – will help prolong the life of your bones.
Walking for four hours a week may reduce the risk of a hip fracture by as much as 41 per cent, according to the National Osteoporosis Society.
60s and Upwards
Bones thin as we age and the risk of fracturing them through falls and accidents increases. Hearing loss, failing eyesight or conditions such as arthritis can all raise the risk of falls.
The ageing body does not absorb vitamin D from the sun very well, making it harder to absorb calcium. The risk of fracture rises from 2 per cent at 50 to 25 per cent at 80.
What Bones Need: Ask your GP about calcium or vitamin D supplements to strengthen ageing bones. Take up exercise or sports such as tai chi and golf, which are proven to boost balance, or ask your doctor about special hip protector underwear that cushions the impact if you fall.
Cut down on salt, as it can increase the amount of calcium flushed out through urine.
Check Out Bone Health
Those concerned about bone health, maybe because of a history of osteoporosis in the family, or have already suffered broken bones or lost height, should consult a GP.
They may be referred for the DEXA scan technique, an x-ray that tests bone density, offered by specialist clinics and on the NHS.
For more information call the National Osteoporosis Society: 01761 471 771/www.nos.org.uk.
What can be done?
Once diagnosed with osteoporosis – particularly after suffering a fractured bone – effective drug treatments may be prescribed. Physiotherapy and practical support may also reduce the risk of further fractures.
Bone Booster
A supplement can help boost calcium levels. Holland & Barrett's 500mg Absorbable Calcium capsules, which are also fortified with Vitamin D, cost 5.99 for 100 capsules.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Scarborough
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
