Chapter 6 I
OSTEOPOROSIS

 

To continue with different diseases, we should take a look at osteoporosis, or brittle bones. It is one of the most typical national diseases in many countries: according to the WHO, it is the second most serious problem after cardiovascular diseases. (Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 29 June 2004, p. 15). In Finland, as many as 400,000 persons (almost 10% of the population) have this disease. It is especially problematic for the middle-aged and older people, but it has its origins in the youth.

   What happens is that the bones gradually become weak and brittle, and then even a small fall or stress can break the bones (for example, in Finland, according to statistics there are 26,000 fractures caused by osteoporosis annually; Etelä-Suomen Sanomat 29 June 2004, p. 15). The process can be accelerated, for example, by cortisone products, epilepsy medicine, drinking plenty of coffee, alcohol, and tobacco, which can prevent the absorption of calcium.

   How can osteoporosis be prevented and be taken care of? There are a few important things. The following points have been found to be important:

 

A sufficient supply of calcium already in the childhood and youth is one of the most important means in preventing osteoporosis. Calcium is an important building ingredient for bones and teeth, and that is why we must get enough of it from our food, at least approximately 800 mg per day.

   Many studies have indicated that an insufficient supply of calcium has a clear connection to adult age osteoporosis and also to fractures already in childhood. For example, newspaper Etelä-Suomen Sanomat reports (date is missing), that “Children who don’t drink milk were found to have more fractures than usual, according to an American study. With children who didn't drink milk, the supply of calcium remained under the recommended levels and the bone density was noticeably lower than that of others of the same age. The researchers and health-care professionals wanted to challenge parents to take care that children get enough of all the necessary nutrients. Every third child had had a fracture before puberty. Most of the fractures had occurred before the age of seven. A strong skeletal structure decreases the risk of fractures already as a child and can decrease the risk of fractures caused by osteoporosis in later years. Milk and milk products contain important proteins to the skeletal structure, minerals and vitamins. (...)."

 

Especially the insufficient use of milk products - that contain a lot of calcium - can be one reason why many people get osteoporosis:

 

Milk Consumed Already as Child Impacts Adulthood

 

Drinking milk as a child promotes the good condition of bones also as an adult, says a new American study.

   A diet without milk or an insufficient amount of milk is connected to the brittleness of bones and an increased risk of fractures. Those who had avoided milk in their childhood had double the risk of having a fracture when they were over 50 when compared with their friends who had regularly consumed milk.

   In the study, they compared the bone density and amount of fractures in 3,200 women to the use of milk in childhood and youth. Milk consumed in the childhood during the ages 5-12 and 13-17 was connected to a larger mineral content of the bone tissue. The study has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

   Milk contains calcium and vitamin D, which are necessary for the growth and regeneration of bones. There are also several nutrients, such as protein, phosphorus, zinc, and magnesium in milk, which can increase the mineral contents of the bone.

   High mineral content reflects the firmness of the bone. A small mineral content promotes brittleness of the bones and increases the risk for getting fractures.

   Nutrients from milk are needed during the whole lifetime, since bones always regenerate. The same minerals from milk can be eaten in the form of yogurt, cheese, or other milk products. (Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, [date is missing])

 

How can we take care that we get enough calcium? The necessary amount can be gotten from three glasses of milk per day. In addition, there is plenty of calcium in other milk-based products (sour milk, yogurt, curdled whole milk, cheese), fish, seed, nuts, almonds, soybean, white beans, and green vegetables, such as cabbages and spinach.

 

Vitamin D is another important ingredient for the bones. Its significance in the prevention of osteoporosis is based on this: if there is not enough vitamin D in our body, calcium cannot be properly absorbed into the body. Another possible important factor in the absorption of calcium is vitamin K, which we can get from all cabbages, spinach, peas, green beans, avocado, and some vegetable oils. For example, broccoli came into light in an study done in the universities of California and Pittsburgh. According to these studies, those women who had passed menopause and ate broccoli at least three times a week, had 80% smaller likelihood of getting hip fractures than those women who ate cabbage only once a week; (Readers Digest 12 / 2001, p. 70.) In addition to this, vitamin D can have its own important meaning in the prevention of other diseases. According to some studies, deficiency of vitamin D can also promote cancer, infections, and diabetes. That is why getting a sufficient supply is important.

   What are good sources of vitamin D? It is formed in our skin in sunlight, other sources are especially fatty fishes, vitaminized margarine, milk (the vitamin is found by nature in full milk, but in many countries, such as Finland, it has been added also to low-fat milk), forest mushroom, and eggs.

 

Exercise. When we try to prevent osteoporosis, we cannot forget physical exercise. Exercise that is diverse and includes knocks and bumps is good for the bones. If osteoporosis has already developed, the most strenuous exercise must, naturally, be avoided, but suitable exercise can be useful in its prevention.