Why women are at double the risk of osteoporosis compared to men – Firstpost

Osteoporosis has become a major public health problem in India. Alarming statistics show that approximately 61 million people suffer from this condition, 80 percent of whom are women. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 30 percent of postmenopausal women worldwide suffer from osteoporosis, underscoring an urgent problem that requires urgent attention.

In India, the peak incidence of osteoporosis occurs 10 to 20 years earlier than in Western countries, which has significant implications for health and economic resources. This premature onset not only increases the risk of fractures and associated complications, but also places a heavy burden on healthcare systems and families.

Dr. Ashish Chaudhrydirector and head of the Department of Orthopedics and Joint Replacement at Aakash Healthcare, sheds light on this condition and highlights its prevalence among postmenopausal women and the elderly.

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

Dr. Chaudhry: Osteoporosis in simple terms is called hollowness or weakening of the bones or skeletal system and is also usually most common in postmenopausal women and older men. There are now two main categories of osteoporosis, one is senile osteoporosis, the other is postmenopausal osteoporosis, both are age related and also in women due to menopause there is a sudden drop in estrogen levels which is actually a protector of the bone hormone that keeps the bone protects and due to its loss in the first five years after menopause it causes severe osteoporosis and is a public health concern because, being a silent disease, it cannot be easily diagnosed and most people experience generalized weakness in the bones as age-related and then goes unnoticed until the terminal event of a major fracture or after a trivial injury occurs, then leading to catastrophic complications.

So if you look at the data over the age of 50, every other woman suffers from osteoporosis to varying degrees and most of them end up having a fracture and 1 in 4 men also suffer from osteoporosis over the age of 50. of age. So it is a common problem and because of the added calcium-vitamin D deficiencies, it becomes more important to recognize it early and treat it properly.

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

Dr. Chaudhry: The risk of osteoporosis mainly increases in the older age group after 50 years, especially in postmenopausal women, and in men over 50 years of age it continues to increase gradually if the patient or the older man does not take adequate precautions. Yes, there are subtle early warning signs where most of the patient would complain of general bone pain especially around the wrist and spine and there is a gradual loss of height and there is also muscle atrophy and walking also becomes weak and fragile. So these are the most common symptoms, early signs of osteoporosis.

What are the main risk factors for developing osteoporosis?

Dr. Chaudhry: The most important risk factor is age; gender, especially the older age group, is most affected. women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. Other lifestyle factors such as excessive alcohol consumption and smoking, intake of steroids or some medications such as steroids, anti-epileptic drugs, anti-cancer drugs and many more such drugs also cause a high risk of osteoporosis and in addition, there are also some genetic factors that are outside the boundaries. control, but yes it gives us insight into whether the known trend is there, one can start. Early detection or go for early detection and regular testing.

So that when osteoporosis is diagnosed at an early stage, it can be properly treated.

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

Dr. Chaudhry: Lifestyle factors are the main factors that can make or break the bone. Diet, especially if it is not rich in protein, it is low in calcium and there is no vitamin D in the diet and green vegetables, it increases the risk of osteoporosis because these are the raw materials for bone health. And if it contains excessive fat intake, leading to morbid or severe obesity, which can indirectly affect the skeletal system. The second aspect is exercise, most people with a sedentary lifestyle would not exercise much and the weight is also higher and mainly due to lack of exercise, the bone blood circulation around the bones also decreases and thus also leads to osteoporosis and therefore, Regular physical activity, especially weight-bearing exercises, can reduce the impact of osteoporosis or age-related bone degeneration. Smoking as a third factor certainly affects the antioxidant mechanism of the tissues and can also indirectly cause the susceptibility to developing osteoporosis.

Are women more susceptible to osteoporosis than men? If so, why?

Dr. Chaudhry: Yes, women are more likely to develop osteoporosis, almost twice as much at higher risk, with 1 in 2 women developing osteoporosis after the age of 50, while in men it is 1 in 4 people. And the main reason is menopause, which reduces the levels of estrogen, a bone-preserving hormone, and thus due to the sudden loss of estrogen, a sudden increase in bone loss occurs, causing very severe osteoporosis in many women.

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

Dr. Chaudhry: So it’s mainly about lifestyle adjustments, regular exercise and a rich diet
calcium, vitamin D and high protein content that will indirectly prevent its development
osteoporosis and also get involved in one or the other physical activity, whether that is the case
yoga, jogging, running, exercising, non-contact sports or any form of walking or mobility
further reduce the incidence of osteoporosis.

And then someone who is already in a risk group, that patient
should take regular supplements of calcium and vitamin D depending on the body
requirement and then all these steps will indirectly promote bone health and reduce bone health
risk 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 to prevent osteoporosis we need a regular intake of calcium and vitamin D every day. So there are many recommended daily amounts for an older 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 800 to 1000. Units per day of calcium can help with calcium absorption and thus prevent osteoporosis to a large extent.

What types of exercises are most effective at strengthening bones and preventing osteoporosis?

Dr. Chaudhry: Usually, light carrying exercises, simple gym and cardio exercises, even a brisk walk, cycling, cross trainer, half squats can greatly influence the incidence of osteoporosis, as can sports such as swimming, double table tennis or balance exercises. or yoga activity can 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 and also indirectly affects the skeleton due to the enormous increase in fat percentage, it reduces blood circulation, it reduces muscle mass which indirectly reduces blood circulation around the bones and thus causes osteoporosis. Maintaining a healthy weight by exercising regularly will therefore make a major contribution to preventing osteoporosis in the long term.