Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

As our population has aged, osteoporosis has become known as the “silent killer”. Osteoporosis is the result of loss of calcium from your bones. The bones can become so weak that they collapse under the weight of your own body or fracture with minimal impact. Common fractures include spine bones (compression fractures of the vertebrae that result in severe pain and loss of height) and hip bones which can lead to prolonged recovery in nursing homes or rehab facilities. Complications of hip fractures can include pneumonia, blood clots, and even death. So it is very important to prevent and treat osteoporosis. A commonly held misconception is that calcium supplements will prevent osteoporosis. Diet, exercise, and vitamin D are more important. An unbalanced diet results in loss of calcium from the bones in the urine. Inadequate Vitamin D causes osteoporosis and many other health problems.

Treatment and Prevention:

Take Vitamin D-3, 2000 units per day with food. Recent studies show that this dose is necessary to bring blood levels to normal levels in most people. Low Vitamin D-3 levels are associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, some forms of cancer and depression. At 1000 units per day only 50% of patients obtained adequate blood levels in a major scientific study. At 2000 units per day >95% obtained adequate levels ("normal range"). Some scientific data suggest that 5000 units per day are necessary to achieve "optimal levels" in some adults.
Make sure your daily intake of calcium from food is 1200-1500 mg. A recent large research study (NEJM, 8/2010) demonstrated that adults taking calcium supplements without Vitamin D had 30% higher rate of heart attacks. Therefore adequate dietary calcium intake (green leafy and other vegetables) is presently considered safer than calcium supplements.
Daily weight bearing exercise is essential to both prevent and treat osteoporosis. Walking is the simplest. Walk 30 minutes per day. It will improve your overall health. If walking is painful try low impact exercise machines like the elliptical stair-master.
Light weight lifting or resistance training with stretch bands or on exercise machines twice per week is also very useful and beneficial.
Eat plenty of fresh colorful vegetables and fruits which both provide the alkaline necessary to balance the acid load created by dietary sources of protein. This helps to prevent the loss of calcium from your bones.
Limit alcohol consumption to at most one drink per day for women, two for men.
Do not drink carbonated beverages such as soda and beer, they inhibit calcium absorption, add acid load, and contribute to a negative calcium balance.
Quit smoking. Smoking contributes to osteoporosis and many other diseases and makes it very difficult for bones to heal.

Once you have osteoporosis, or if you are at high risk for osteoporosis (such as patients taking daily steroids for asthma or arthritis) some medications may be beneficial.

TPM offers once per year infusions of Reclast. This is administered by simple IV infusion in the office once per year and can significantly reduce the risk of fractures of the hip and spine in patients with osteoporosis.