Most people are aware that a diet that is rich in calcium and vitamin D can help prevent osteoporosis and osteopenia as we age, but what some people don't consider is the very beneficial effects that exercise can have on one's bone density and the continual maintenance of bone as we age.
So what exactly are the risk factors for osteoporosis? Well, let's take a look? Osteoporosis, as most may be aware, is most commonly seen in older (post-menopausal) women because menopause results in a decrease in a women's estrogen which among other functions will normally help women to keep calcium in their bones. When bones start losing their calcium they become somewhat porous like a sponge and are a lot more brittle. Anothe risk factors include: low body weight (<135 pounds), anorexia nervosa, rheumatoid arthritis, family history of osteoporosis, amenorrhea or early menopause in women, use of corticosteroid medications, smoking, a diet low in calcium, heavy alcohol or caffeine use, and a lifestyle lacking sufficient exercise.
Just like we have dietary guidelines that help us to select foods that will keep us healthy, there are recommendations put out by the CDC for how much exercise we should get weekly. For example, adults under the age of 65 are suggested to get at least 2.5 hours of moderate to intense exercise per week as well as 2 or more days per week in which one will work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms) in a strength training fashion. These guidelines are not only put in place for our cardiovascular and aerobic health, but also for our bone health as well. Studies have shown that exercise can not only help maintain our bone density as we age, but may also even help to slightly increase it as well, which can help combat osteoporosis.
This leads us to the next major question: Is it simply exercise in general, or are there specific exercises that could help me more? This too has been greatly studied and examined for years as well, and it turns out that although all modalities of exercise can help stimulate bone growth, exercise modalities that include weight bearing activities (ex. Running, jogging, walking) or strength/resistance routines (weight lifting) will be most efficacious in promoting the physiological cascade that results in bone growth.
The reason that weight bearing and resistance exercises seem to be best for our bone health is due to the fact that they stress our bones and via a chemical cascade will eventually activate particular bone cells called osteoblasts which are responsible for laying down a matrix that will become bone. With weight bearing exercise we are using the weight of our body to stimulate the bones because each time our foot strikes the ground the impact sends a little shock wave through our bones. With a strength training modality, our muscles play an integral role in stressing the bones that they sit on as they contract to lift the weight. This tugging at the bone will stimulate the same stress pathway, which causes the bone to activate its osteoblasts in anticipation that we will continue "stressing" the bone. Essentially the bone density increases with exercise because our body has a beneficial anticipatory response.
It is really essential to promote healthy diet and exercise at a young age in both boys and girls because our bone mass peaks in our middle to late twenties before it begins declining. By ensuring that we reach a maximal peak in bone density, not only will the normal age-associated decline in bone density be less dramatic because we are starting at a higher density, but we will have instilled within the children the tools they need to remain healthy for the rest of their lives. Promoting things such as adequate vitamin D and calcium intake as a part of a complete diet, in conjunction of with stressing the importance of exercise in one's lifestyle will not only help them to become healthy adults, but it will serve to help us all combat the rising cost of medical care in our country by reducing future health problems.
In our quest to maintain and improve our health, we need to remember that there is no "magic bullet." We shouldn't just focus on one area and hope that this will bring us the results that we want to see. We need to remember that the human body, although appearing as a single functioning unit, is truly a compilation of complimentary, multifaceted systems working together to allow us to live, breath, move, and survive. As with the other realms of health, our bone health is no different. A proper diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is also essential for our bone health. Unfortunately, even in some cases, a person with a good diet along with adequate exercise may still develop osteoporosis, so it is important that we all see our physicians about our bone health so that we can work together to create a healthy living plan, complete with a fitting and unique, individualized exercise schedule.
For more information regarding local, Boston-area clinics and specialists for bone health and osteoporosis, check out this link: http://local.boomer-living.com/Managing_Osteoporosis_Boston_MA-r1346034-Boston_MA.html
Please feel free to email me at c_meltsakos@nymc.edu , or leave me any thoughts, questions or comments on this page.
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