Osteoporosis Essay

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Osteoporosis is when the bone weakens and becomes fragile. Bones become really delicate and any small fall can cause a bone fractures. The most common bone fractures happen in the hip, spine or wrist. Bones are made up of two types of living tissue, cortical bone, and trabecular bone. Cortical bone is also known as compact bone, is the hard part of the bone that is the exterior of the bone and acts as a shell for the bone. The trabecular bone is also known as the spongy bone and is honeycomb-like in the inside of long bones and in between the vertebrae. Both the compact bone and the spongy bone are constantly being broken down and restore by the body. Osteoporosis occurs when the bone is being broken down, but not enough bone is being build …show more content…

However, according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, "Worldwide, 1 in 3 women over age 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, as will 1 in 5 men aged over 50". Why is it more common in women? Women tend to have smaller and thinner bones as comparison to men. Estrogen, in women, helps protect their bones by restraining osteoclast and promoting deposit of new bone. However, post menopause the estrogen decreases noticeably, causing bone loss. Due to the smaller bones and the decline of estrogen, women, especially those who have reached menopause have a higher chance developing osteoporosis. Other factors such as having a …show more content…

One of the ways that osteoporosis can be prevented, is by getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D while bones are still growing and getting heavier, bones are known to grow until early adulthood. According to Mayo clinic, "Men and women between the ages of 18 and 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day. This daily amount increases to 1,200 milligrams when women turn 50 and men turn 70". Good sources of calcium may include green leafy vegetables, soy products, low fat dairy products, calcium- fortified products and orange juice. Another way osteoporosis can be prevented is by avoiding carbohydrate beverages and alcohol this is because these two drinks drain away mineral from the bones and aid in the decrease of bone density. Additionally, doing exercise such as walking, jogging, or any sport that is weight bearing will help increase bone mass, and thus will help the bone build up a greater cushion or shield against age related bone

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