Osteoporosis and men

According to the 2004 U.S. Surgeon General”s report on bone health, half of all U.S. citizens over the age of 50 will be at risk for osteoporotic fractures by 2020.

That’s a lot of broken bones—for men and women.

As with many diseases, early detection and treatment is the key. HMF”s Bone Density Testing Center can administer a fast, painless test to measure your bone mineral density by using tiny does of X-rays.

The technology, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), gives your doctor a numerical score of your bones” condition. He or she can then suggest treatment, including measures to prevent further bone loss.

While women in menopause are concerned about osteoporosis, this disease can strike men, people on certain medications and anyone with high risk factors.

Men tend to have stronger bones, which explains why they are less affected by osteoporosis. However, the National Osteoporosis Foundation reports that two million American men have osteoporosis and another 12 million are at risk.

A man’s chances of developing osteoporosis are higher if he has a chronic disease of the kidneys, lungs, stomach and intestines that alters hormone levels, or if he has undiagnosed low levels of testosterone.

On average, a man”s testosterone levels start to drop 10 percent per decade beginning at age 30. When a man turns 50, his production of testosterone decreases rapidly. By some estimates, as many as 68 percent of men older than age 70 have some level of testosterone deficiency.

Testosterone helps build bones and so when levels are low, men often see symptoms of bone loss, such as a loss in height or fractures caused by osteoporosis.”

A loss in height, change in posture or sudden back pain are red flags that require a doctor’s attention (for women, too).

Your risk of osteoporosis may be higher if you take medications to treat rheumatoid arthritis, endocrine disorders (i.e. an under-active thyroid), seizure disorders or gastrointestinal diseases. Steroids, hormones, cancer drugs and medicines that lower calcium absorption are also a concern.

If you are unsure if the medications you take may lead to bone loss, ask your HMF doctor to review your prescription and over-the-counter drugs to determine if you should make any changes.

Smoking, excessive alcohol use, low calcium intake, high caffeine intake, eating disorders and a sedentary lifestyle can increase your chances of developing osteoporosis. Heredity plays a part as well.

Good quality bone is the result of two processes working in harmony: reabsorption (osteoclasts eat away bone) and repair (osteoblasts create new bone). This constant renewal goes on in all healthy, living bone.

Doctors treat osteoporosis by slowing or stopping the osteoclasts with agents like estrogen, Evista, Miacalcin, Fosamax and Actonel. Forteo, on the other hand, stimulates the osteoblasts to make more bone than they normally would.

“We are beginning to use these agents in combination to get the greatest effect on bone, to increase the density in patients who have been found to be at risk for fracture,” says Cary Manoogian, M.D., HMFs endocrinologist.

Bone is living tissue that grows stronger when you place demands on it—that is, when you perform weight-bearing or resistance exercise.

Weight-bearing exercise works your body against gravity. Walking, jogging, tennis, soccer, skiing and even climbing stairs are weight bearing; swimming and bicycling are not.

Resistance workouts help you improve muscle mass and strengthen bone by lifting free weights (dumbbells) or using weight machines at health clubs. Of course, check with your doctor before starting an ambitious exercise program—especially if you’ve had a fracture in the past.

For more osteoporosis information, visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation website at www.nof.org. Download a brochure about HMF’s Bone Density Testing Center by at www.huntingtonmedical.com.