June 18, 2011. Paul Hixon
According to one research study more then one in four America women over 60 have enough osteoporosis to produce deformity. Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease causing compression fractures in the spine that can result in height loss and back discomfort, it causes the body to shrink and height to decrease.
Often people associate osteoporosis with being a visible disorder of the back neck and joints, but actually this is not the case at all. It seems the first bones to be robbed of calcium during a deficiency is the jawbones causing bleeding gums and teeth to loosen in their sockets. If you have family history or if you have suffered any of the following it may be that you want to consider taking calcium supplements for osteoporosis:
- You broke a bone after the age of 35 from low trauma
- You have a family history of osteoporosis
- You weigh less then 57 kilograms even if you are short
- You have bad lifestyle practices such as drinking or smoking excessively
- You have taken steroids for longer then 3 months
The amount of calcium supplements any one person requires can differ considerably because we are all metabolically different. If you do fall into any of the above categories it is advisable that you consult with your doctor to give you a bone density scan, prior to menopause to see whether or not you may be at high risk of osteoporosis. As a preventative ensure you are getting enough calcium through your diet in the form of green leafy vegetables and legumes, ensure you eat low fat dairy yogurt or cheese on a daily basis and if you are intolerant to milk, then opt for fortified drinks such as soya and rice dream. Supplementing with a calcium tablet of more then 1200mg two to three times a day is also recommended.
Updated June 18, 2011. Published February 26, 2011. Paul Hixon
