Red Mountain, The Adventure Spa
We’re born with 350 of them. As we mature, they fuse and rearrange themselves until there are 206. “They” are bones, the structures that make it possible to stand upright, walk, run, bend and jump. Bones also protect all our internal systems and provide a place for muscles, tendons and ligaments to connect. Healthy bone is one of the strongest materials in nature; one cubic inch of bone can withstand 20,000 pounds of pressure, yet the human skeleton accounts for only 14 percent of total body weight. That’s a lot of responsibility for such a small percentage of the human body.
It’s Alive!
A common misconception about bone is that it is not a living tissue. In actuality, bone is a living substance. Because it is alive, people can do something about rebuilding it. The human skeleton constantly renews itself. In fact, over your lifetime, you actually have three skeletons. The first is made of cartilage, the second of immature fibrous tissue and the third of adult bone.
From birth until about twenty-five years of age, soft tissue is converted into bone. This process is called ossification. This process ends when you are in your mid 20’s. When a full complement of bone is achieved, you are said to have reached your peak bone mass. After peak bone mass has been reached, the “breaking down” of bone exceeds the “building up” of bone. When the breakdown exceeds the buildup, thinning or bone loss occurs. This thinning results in a loss of 5 to 10 percent of bone mass with each passing decade.
When Bones Go Bad
The most common “bad bone” disease is osteoporosis. Also called the “silent disease”, osteoporosis proceeds without symptoms until a fracture has occurred. It is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures per year and more than 15 billion dollars in medical costs. More than 25 million Americans suffer from thinning bones. All of these figures are to expected increase dramatically as the number of aging Americans increases. Osteoporosis is a bone disorder in which bone mass decreases, resulting in frail bones that are much more susceptible to fracture. Although osteoporosis is not considered life threatening, it is estimated that 20 percent of individuals over fifty, who sustain a hip fracture, die within one year. This is due to loss of mobility, infection or other medical problems related to immobility.
Millions of Americans live for years with habits that contribute to bone loss, as well as other risk factors that are considered non-modifiable such as gender, small bones or small-framed individuals, ethnic origin and genetic predisposition. Those lifestyle habits that can be controlled are calcium intake, increased weight bearing exercise, smoking cessation, decreased alcohol consumption and moderation in the use of stimulants such as caffeine and sugar.
You Can’t Tell By Looking
Another misconception regarding osteoporosis is that is only an “older white woman” disease. Lower bone density is now being seen in younger individuals of all races and gender. Unfortunately, most marketing campaigns that focus on osteoporosis utilize older women in commercials, which cause us to believe that younger individuals are immune to this condition.
There are many risk factors for osteoporosis that assist in making a determination of high-risk individuals. These include but are not limited to age, gender, family history and nutrition. However, identification of risk factors alone does not provide a complete risk profile. Because you cannot tell an individual’s bone density simply by looking, a bone density test is a necessity in diagnosing osteoporosis. The “gold standard” in the definitive diagnosis of osteoporosis is DXA, which stands for Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry. It is a painless and very safe test utilizing low dose x-ray and is completed within 3-5 minutes. Typical sites that are tested are the hip, spine and forearm. A DXA scan provides valuable information regarding bone density and future risk of fracture.
A DXA scan will provide you with a couple of valuable scores, one of which is a Z score and the other a T score. Both are useful however, the T score is the only score used for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. It compares your bone density with that of a healthy young adult male or female at peak bone mass. This means your bone density is being compared to that of a 20 to 25 year old.
The World Health Organization has developed guidelines for the interpretation of the T score. These guidelines are as follows:
Low- Normal Bone Density: 0-1.0
Osteopenia: -1.0-2.5
Osteoporosis: -2.5 and above
Recipe For Bone
All cells of the body require special nutrients. Bone tissue is no different. Deficiencies of key nutrients can result in poor bone health and other associated problems, the most common of which are osteoporosis and fractures. Here is a list of key nutrients required for bone health and the recommended amounts of each.
Calcium: Most adults should get between 1200-1500 mg per day of calcium. This should come mainly from calcium rich foods like the dark green leafy vegetables and/or through a high quality multivitamin. Adolescents should get a least 1000 mg.
Boron: Research shows that boron helps to maintain bone density by improving calcium absorption. All individuals should get between 1-3 mg daily. The main sources of boron are fruits and vegetables.
Copper: There is evidence that low levels of copper contribute to fractures. Food sources of copper include dried beans, whole wheat and most seafood. A good multivitamin is also advantageous. 2-3 mg daily is optimal.
Magnesium: About half of the 21 to 25 grams of the magnesium in the body is in the bone. Magnesium is needed for calcium and phosphorous to metabolize properly. Calcium and magnesium are often found together in supplements (usually twice as much calcium). Good food sources include whole grains, green leafy vegetables, figs, nuts and bananas. Most individuals should get about 280 mg daily.
Vitamin D: This is one of the most important nutrients for bone health. It is called the “sunshine vitamin” because the body produces it when the skin is exposed to sun. Fifteen minutes per day is sufficient. If you or someone you know is hospitalized or otherwise bedridden or you live in a northern climate, you may need to take a good multivitamin with sufficient levels of vitamin D. Good sources of vitamin D include fortified milk, egg yolks and fish.
Zinc: The exact role of zinc in bone health is not known. However, low levels of zinc are found in individuals with osteoporosis. Most zinc in food is lost during processing so taking a quality multivitamin in necessary. Normal intake is about 12 mg.
Boning up
It’s never too late-or too early-to bone up. Studies indicate that lifestyle changes can greatly improve bone density at any age. Improving nutrition and exercise habits are areas that can greatly reduce your risk of bone loss and protect you bones from fracture. Do it for yourself and your family. Do you have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews? Children who learn healthy habits early will be a safeguard against poor bone health in the future. Paul Miller, M.D. of the University of Colorado School of Medicine has said that,” osteoporosis should be viewed as a pediatric disease”. This is not to say that children have osteoporosis but that we need to begin focusing on this very serious disease and its prevention at much younger ages.
The health of your bones is in you hands. You have nothing to lose-and everything to gain.
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