Good Bone Health As We Age
Bone Loss and Osteoporosis
Learn about Molly’s approach to bone loss, bone density testing and diagnosis. Take steps to benefit your health and well being.
Osteoporosis is Defined as the Progressive Bone Loss From the Matrix of Bone Tissue.
Some supplements I recommend for women with bone loss include a good bone building supplements like Osseopan or Bone Builder, calcium and magnesium, and consider using a bi-etrogen formula along with natural progesterone.
Bone Mineral Density Testing And Bone Scan Results
by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP
Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) technology was introduced in 1988 and has become the most popular tool for measuring bone density. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that all women over age 65, and post-menopausal women with at least one risk factor for osteoporosis, undergo a bone density test, which is usually a DEXA. Results from bone density tests are used to diagnose osteopenia and osteoporosis. DEXA measures the bone mineral content (BMC) of the spine, hip, wrist, femur, or any other selected part of the skeleton. It does this by focusing an x-ray on a body site and measuring the proportion of light rays that pass through the tissue as opposed to being blocked by minerals in the bone. Using computer software, it then divides that number by the surface area of the bone being measured to create bone mineral density (BMD). Read More…
Is Bone Density Really the Problem?
By M. Pick
Low bone density alone does not cause fractures, nor does high bone density guarantee that your bones are healthy. In fact, bone density provides only a sliver of information about your overall risk of fracture.
Bone is strong because of its capacity for self-repair. Your body is constantly breaking down old bone and replacing it with stronger, new bone. This process results in bone that is sufficiently dense and flexible to withstand the forces of everyday activities.
Some bone loss is normal as we age. Accelerated bone loss is a concern, but so is dense, old bone that may be quite brittle. The key to strong bones is to support a healthy, balanced bone metabolism. At our practice, we always look at bone density test results in the context of what the patient is doing to reduce the de-mineralizing demands on bone and increase the support that helps build new bone. Here’s what we recommend:
- Focus on fitness. Exercise at least 30 minutes, three times a week. Weight-bearing exercise is the most helpful for your bones.
- Consider your emotional foundation. Stress, worry, and anxiety produce high levels of cortisol, which is destructive to bone. Reducing stress levels through cognitive therapy or other methods can only benefit your bone health.
- Consider other bone health tests to get a more rounded perspective of your bone health. At our clinic we like to monitor a woman’s NTx test results, which is a blood or urine test that indicates the rate of bone breakdown by measuring a specific molecule released during bone resorption. We also measure a woman’s pH level, which can help determine whether her diet and lifestyle are placing an excessive burden on her bones’ reserves of alkalizing compounds. Read More…