Research Paper On Osteoporosis

1. Define and discuss osteoporosis. Include in your discussion information on how osteoporosis develops; how age, sex, hormones, and genetics affect it; how activity affects it; and what dietary interventions can help prevent or treat osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a disease in which the bones become porous and fragile due to loss of minerals. Bone has two components: the outer, hard shell of cortical bone is very dense bone tissue that forms the outer shell, and the inner, lacy matrix of trabecular bone is the inner structure of calcium crystals that supports the bone structure while providing a calcium storage bank. Both components of bone lose minerals, but not in the same way. The crystals of trabecular bone give up calcium to the blood

Generally, cortical bone losses begin around age 40 and continue slowly thereafter. During the bone-acquiring stage of childhood and adolescence, the bones gain strength and density throughout the growing years and into young adulthood. Conversely, during the bone-losing years of late adulthood, especially in women after menopause, the cells that build bone gradually become less active while those cells that dismantle bone become working. The result is bone loss that exceeds bone formation (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p.

Explain the difference between heme and nonheme iron. How can the efficiency of absorption be increased for both types of iron?

Iron is an essential trace mineral vital to many of the cell’s activities including the transport of oxygen and the metabolism of energy nutrients. Most of the body’s iron is found in hemoglobin the globular protein of red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body, and in myoglobin, the oxygen holding cells of muscles. In both, iron helps accept, carry, and release oxygen (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p. 410-412).

Iron balance in the body is maintained through absorption. More iron is absorbed when supplies are low and less is absorbed when supplies are full. Iron absorption depends on its dietary source. Iron occurs in two forms in foods: heme iron, the iron in foods that is bound to the hemoglobin and myoglobin proteins found only in meat, fish, and poultry, and nonheme iron, the iron found in foods that are not bound to proteins. Nonheme iron is found in plant-derived and animal-derived foods. Heme iron accounts for about 10 percent of daily iron intake, but is so well absorbed that it contributes a significant amount of iron. Depending on iron stores and dietary factors, approximately 25 percent of heme iron and 17 percent of nonheme iron is absorbed. Heme iron is not influenced by dietary factors in contrast to nonheme iron absorption. The peptide MFP factor, a peptide released during the digestion of meat, fish,