1. What is it?

Osteoporosis is a disease that involves a progressive decrease in bone mass. This causes the decrease bone strength and can fly apart by small traumas and even spontaneously. It is a disease that is generated slowly and can develop without symptoms until you are microfractures producing disability, pain and fractures.

2. Who gets this disease?

80% of people with this disease are women, it is sometimes affects more women than men. It is estimated that one in three postmenopausal women suffer osteoporosis.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is that which occurs in the years following the termination of rule in women. During the ten years following menopause, women lose 50% of their bone mass.

This is due to termination of circulating estrogen action that protected the bone loss masa. An estimated that approximately 200 million women suffer from osteoporosis in the world.

In Europe and the United States an estimated one-third of women over age 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in their lives.

Increased life expectancy grows the number of women reach menopause, with the consequent increase of which suffer from osteoporosis.

Since menopause contributes to the loss of calcium in bone, is critical to reach this age with a strong, well-mineralized bone.

The basic treatment combines the use of supplements and medication with a proper exercise program adapted. By cons, bone loss may reappear when treatment stops.

If osteoporosis resulting from prolonged use of medication (corticosteroid therapy, etc). Must see to quickly eliminate the cause.

Drugs
There are several medications that can slow down bone degeneration and preserve or increase the mass or bone mineral density, while significantly reducing the risk of fractures. They are indicated when the fracture risk is considered high.

Here are the main ones:

- Bisphosphonates. These drugs slow the bone loss. Most employees are alendronate (Fosamax ®) and risedronate (Actonel ®) in daily or weekly doses in tablet form. A new formulation of Actonel ® can take this medication once a month. It also uses etidronate (Didrocal ®) in daily doses and zoledronic acid administered intravenously once a year.
Calcitonin (Miacalcin ®). This hormone produced by the thyroid gland slows bone loss. It also provides an analgesic effect. It is used by nasal or injection form.
- Raloxifene (Evista ®). The drug mimics the effects of estrogen acting on the receptors for these hormones (but without increasing the risk of getting cancer hormone).
- Tamoxifen. This synthetic hormone, used to treat breast cancer, also has an effect similar to estrogen on bone.
The synthetic parathyroid hormone (PTH). This hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands is restricted to cases of significant osteoporosis. It is administered as an injection. It plays a role in the trade body calcium and phosphorus, and slows bone loss.
In the case of men with osteoporosis resulting from a deficiency of testosterone (hypogonadism), it uses a hormone androgen.

In cases of acute or chronic pain, use of analgesics. Wearing a brace may be necessary if the pain intensifies.

Hormone replacement therapy at menopause can help slow bone loss and reduce fracture risk. By cons, it is rarely used for this purpose only because the risks it entails. Note that when stopping hormone therapy, a phase of accelerated bone loss begins, as observed naturally in women during the years preceding menopause. To learn more, go to our form Menopause.

Surgery
In cases of hip fracture, surgery is often necessary to reconstruct the hip.

In hyperparathyroidism, removal of the parathyroid glands can improve bone mineral density.

Supplements
Taking calcium supplements (1 000 mg daily) and vitamin D (800 IU or 20 mg daily) is always offered in addition to pharmacological treatments. Between them, they are not sufficient to treat osteoporosis.

Food
As described in prevention, it is good to increase its intake of foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. It is also necessary to have an adequate intake of protein, and favor an alkaline diet (rich in fruits and vegetables).

The prevention of osteoporosis is based on an adequate calcium intake, primarily from Birth to 30 years, when it acquired most of our capital bone.

1. When capital is acquired bone?
The capital is acquired bone from birth until approximately 25-30 years of age and gradually decreases from 35. From this age on calcium and not easily incorporated into bone. For this we must endeavor to make the calcium needed at this crucial time for bone formation.

2. To prevent osteoporosis
Drawing on the campaigns on prevention of osteoporosis, its emphasis is focused on the need to ingest milk and dairy products at all stages of life.

It is necessary to ensure an intake of calcium to obtain the peak bone mass, genetically programmed, during the growth years. Meeting the recommended servings for all ages, but with special attention to intakes during childhood and into their 30s.

The adequate intake of calcium should be supplemented with a lifestyle that falls on the regular practice of physical exercise, a prudent exposure to sunlight (necessary for the synthesis of vitamin D) and a cessation of snuff, alcohol and caffeine, that have a negative effect on bone remodeling.