Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Health

Bone loss: It's not just for women

Osteoporosis long was viewed as a disease that afflicts only women, but men also are susceptible to the bone loss that accompanies advanced aging.

By DAVID LIPSCHITZ, Special to the Times
Published October 17, 2006

A few years ago I received a huge shock - I had lost 1.5 inches in height. Could this be possible?

Actually, loss of height is relatively common as we age.

Men and women lose height in part due to subtle decreases in the size of vertebrae and to narrowing of the discs between them. Most loss of height, however, is caused by a more serious problem: osteoporosis, which used to be viewed as an exclusively women's disease, but which we now know occurs in men as well.

Statistics indicate that about 2-million men have osteoporosis and another 12-million have a low bone mass, which places them at great risk of developing osteoporosis. Approximately 13 percent of men will suffer a fracture caused by osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is caused by gradual bone loss that accompanies advancing age. The amount of bone we have in our body is determined by genetic factors, calcium intake and how much we exercise during our growing years. Total bone mass reaches a maximum in our early 20s, remains constant for about 30 years, and then gradually declines.

In women, accelerated bone loss occurs around menopause, due to loss of estrogen, which has protective qualities. Thereafter, bone loss stabilizes at about 1 percent per year.

Although men do not have an accelerated bone loss similar to women's, at about age 50 men also begin to lose bone and thus are prone to fractures with minor trauma. This leaves men and women vulnerable to falls and fractures.

The most important approach to osteoporosis is prevention. Young men must consume adequate calcium throughout life. The average male, of any age, should consume 1,000 mg of calcium daily and at least 800 international units of vitamin D.

This can be accomplished by drinking four glasses of milk or eating 4 ounces of cheese daily. As some calcium is present in the diet, men who do not consume many dairy products should take a 500 mg calcium tablet that contains vitamin D.

In addition to consuming enough calcium, men interested in preventing osteoporosis should engage in exercises such as walking, running, high-impact aerobics and strength training.

There is no consensus as to when a man should be screened for osteoporosis. In women, bone density studies to identify osteoporosis are recommended at menopause and every few years thereafter.

Dr. David Lipschitz is the author of Breaking the Rules of Aging. Send e-mail to him at askdrdavid@msn.com.

[Last modified October 16, 2006, 19:00:44]