Bone Health and Osteoporosis

By: Mackenzie L.

Did you ever have your parents tell you to drink milk? Because milk makes your bones strong. Well, that isn't entirely true. For your bones to processes the the Calcium from the milk to your bones, you need Vitamin D. Vitamin D comes from the sun but many northern countries that lack sunlight have low levels of Vitamin D in their body. With low Vitamin D levels, the less Calcium you are able to absorb and the weaker your bones become. Eventually leading to Osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is the weakening of the bone, which causes it to become brittle and easily break. For a long time, men didn't think they could get Osteoporosis, but that is untrue. Anyone with a lack of Calcium and Vitamin D from young ages are at risk of this disease.

 Most doctors (Orthopedic Surgeons) that you see for a third or fourth break of a bone will send you for a bone density scan. But these breaks would have to be from low impact falls, which are falls from your height or less, bumbing into furniture, or even sneezing. The test scans your Bone Mineral Density with a machine is called the Dexa-Scan, it uses low energy x-ray to scan the hip or spinal bones. The earlier you get tested the better, women should get tested around the time they go through menopause. For men it is harder to say when they should get tested most say around 50.

The Dexa-Scan comes back with results called the T-score which tells you the density level.

Sadly, there is no cure for Osteoporosis but it is treatable. For example, Fosamax is an oral drug (taken by mouth) that helps to slow the progression of Osteoporosis.Your best bet in saving your bones from Osteoporosis is get your Calcium and if you don't live in a sunny state take a Vitamin D supplement. You do not want to get Osteoporosis because it is a painful and incurable disease.

In conclusion, you need your milk but you need the Vitamin D to absorb it. This disease effects more than just white women and very one that finds it easy to break bones should get tested. Osteoporosis is effected by how you took care of your bones at a young age. 

Citations

"Learn about Osteoporosis." Bone Health Basics: Get the Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.

"Osteoporosis: Diagnosis & Tests." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.

"Fosamax Oral : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing - WebMD." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.

"My DEXA Scan for Body Composition - The BJJ Caveman." The BJJ Caveman. N.p., 09 Dec. 2013. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.

"Women's Health Specialists | Bone Density Scanning." Women's Health Specialists | Bone Density Scanning. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.