Why are women at twice the risk of osteoporosis compared to men?

Osteoporosis has emerged as a major public health problem in India; Alarming statistics reveal that approximately 61 million people are affected by this condition, 80 percent of whom are women. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 30 percent of postmenopausal women globally suffer from osteoporosis, highlighting an urgent problem that requires immediate intervention.

The peak incidence of osteoporosis in India occurs 10 to 20 years earlier than in Western countries, leading to significant impacts on health and economic resources. This early onset not only increases the risk of fractures and related complications, but also places a heavy burden on healthcare systems and families.

Dr.Aashish ChaudhryDirector and Head of Department of Orthopedics and Joint Replacement at Aakash Healthcare sheds light on this condition, highlighting its prevalence among post-menopausal women and the elderly.

What is osteoporosis and why is it a public health concern?

Dr Chaudhry: In simple terms, osteoporosis is the collapse or weakening of the bones or skeletal system and is most common in post-menopausal women and older men. There are two main categories of osteoporosis; one is senile osteoporosis and the other is postmenopausal osteoporosis, both are age-related and in women, due to menopause, there is a sudden drop in the level of estrogen, which is the protector of the bone hormone that actually protects the bone, and this disease causes serious osteoporosis due to its loss in the first 5 years after menopause, since it is a silent disease. It is worrisome in terms of public health because it cannot be diagnosed easily, and most people consider general weakness and bone pain to be age-related and occur later. It remains unnoticed until a terminal event such as a major fracture or minor injury occurs, which then leads to catastrophic complications.

So, if you look at the data over the age of 50, every woman suffers from varying degrees of osteoporosis, most of which result in fractures, and 1 in 4 men also suffers from osteoporosis over the age of 50. at age. This is a very common problem and due to calcium vitamin D deficiency, it becomes more important to recognize it early and treat it well.

At what age does the risk of osteoporosis generally increase and are there any early warning signs?

Dr Chaudhry: The risk of osteoporosis increases primarily in the older age group, especially in women after menopause, after the age of 50, and in men, it continues to increase after the age of 50 if the patient or the elderly man does not take adequate precautions. Yes, there are mild early warning signs where most patients will complain of generalized bone pain especially around the wrist and spine, there is gradual loss of height, there is also muscle atrophy and gait also becomes weak and brittle. So these are common early signs of osteoporosis.

What are the main risk factors for developing osteoporosis?

Dr Chaudhry: The main risk factors are age and gender, and the age group, especially the elderly, is most affected. Women are more likely to get osteoporosis than men. Moreover, other lifestyle factors such as excessive use of alcohol and cigarettes, taking steroids or some drugs such as steroids, anti-epileptic drugs, cancer drugs and many other similar drugs also cause a high risk of osteoporosis, and apart from this, there are also some genetic factors. control, but yeah, if there’s a familiar trend, that gives us an idea. Get early diagnosis or early detection and regular testing.

In other words, osteoporosis can be treated well as soon as it is diagnosed at an early stage.

How do lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise and smoking affect the risk of osteoporosis?

Dr Chaudhry: Lifestyle factors are the most important factors that can cause a bone to form or break. If the diet is not particularly rich in protein, deficient in calcium and lacks vitamin D in the diet, it increases the risk of osteoporosis, as green vegetables are the raw material for bone health. And if it involves excessive fat intake leading to morbid or severe obesity, which can indirectly affect the skeletal system. The second issue is exercise, most people with a sedentary lifestyle do not exercise much and gain more weight, and especially due to lack of exercise, bone blood circulation around the bones also decreases, which leads to osteoporosis, which leads to osteoporosis. Regular physical activity, especially weight-bearing exercises, can reduce the impact of osteoporosis or age-related bone degeneration. The third factor is that smoking definitely affects the antioxidant mechanism of tissues and may indirectly cause a predisposition to the development of osteoporosis.

Are women more prone to osteoporosis than men? If so why?

Dr Chaudhry: Yes, women are almost 2 times more likely to be affected by osteoporosis, meaning 1 in 2 women over the age of 50 and 1 in 4 men over the age of 50 suffer from osteoporosis. The most important reason for this is that menopause reduces the level of estrogen, the bone-protecting hormone, and therefore, sudden bone loss occurs due to the sudden loss of estrogen, causing very serious osteoporosis in many women.

What steps can individuals take to prevent the onset of osteoporosis, especially as they age?

Dr Chaudhry: So, it is essentially lifestyle change, regular exercise and a nutrient-rich diet.
Calcium, vitamin D and high protein will indirectly inhibit its development.
Osteoporosis and also involvement in one or another physical activity
yoga, jogging, jogging, fitness, non-contact sports or any walking or mobility
further reduces the incidence of osteoporosis.

And apart from that, someone who is already in the high risk group is that patient.
Calcium and vitamin D supplements should be taken regularly depending on the body.
necessity and then all these steps will indirectly improve bone health and
Possibility of osteoporosis.

How important are calcium and vitamin D in preventing osteoporosis, and what are the best sources of these nutrients?

Dr Chaudhry: Calcium and vitamin D are an integral part of our skeletal system and we need regular daily intake of calcium and vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis. Therefore, there are many recommended daily allowances for an elderly population or a middle-aged population; I would say 800 to 2 grams of calcium can be taken depending on severity, age and other factors, and vitamin D is usually between 800 and 1000. One unit of calcium per day can help calcium absorption and thus greatly prevent osteoporosis.

What types of exercise are most effective in strengthening bones and preventing osteoporosis?

Dr Chaudhry: Most often, exercises with light weights, simple gymnastics and cardio exercises, even brisk walking, cycling, cross trainer, half squat can greatly affect the incidence of osteoporosis, and also sports such as swimming, double table tennis or balancing exercises can greatly affect the incidence of osteoporosis. . or yoga activity may also prevent osteoporosis

How does maintaining a healthy weight contribute to bone health?

Dr Chaudhry: Obesity is a direct precursor to osteoporosis because it not only increases the load on the knee joints, but also indirectly affects the skeleton due to an excessive increase in the percentage of fat, reducing blood circulation, which in turn indirectly reduces muscle mass. Blood circulation around the bones is impaired, causing osteoporosis. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight by exercising regularly will play an important role in preventing osteoporosis in the long run.