More Americans Are Getting Osteoporosis

CHICAGO (AP) -- The number of Americans diagnosed with osteoporosis surged sevenfold over the past decade, coinciding with the development and marketing of new drugs to treat the bone-thinning condition, a study found.

As of 2003, there were an estimated 3.6 million people who had been diagnosed with osteoporosis, compared with half a million in 1994, according to the study by Stanford University researchers. Also, the number of doctor visits for the condition jumped to 6.3 million last year from 1.3 million in 1994.

The increases coincided with the introduction of the bone-protecting drugs alendronate, sold as Fosamax, in 1995; raloxifene, or Evista, in 1997; and risedronate, or Actonel, in 1998.

All three are among the non-hormonal alternatives to estrogen supplements, which have long been used to prevent osteoporosis but have lost popularity because of recent studies linking them to heart problems, breast cancer and other risks.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OSTEOPOROSIS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

either. Vitamin D, which is best when you get it from the sun, is the most important and the thing that most people are deficient in. But evenmore important is exercise and even more important is that this exercise happen in your pre teens years. You get plenty of exercise and eat a good diet with enough calcium and get vitamin d from the sun and your bones will be good to carry you through the later years. If you wait until you are 40 to try and start taking calcium,etc, it's too late. Then the doctors will try to get you to take Fosamax which has lots of side effects for a lot of people. Besides, Fosamax hasn't been used long enough for them to know what the long term effects may be (remember hormone replacement therapy).

The usual suspects have been scaremongering about sunlight now to the point where parents are afraid to let their kids go outside. Sheesh.

soda? pop? (Coke, Pepsi, etc) and a lack of exercise?

Previous poster was half right, if you eat a balanced diet, correct for your metabolic type (protein or carbo, or mixed type) and get daily exercise, most likely you won't HAVE metabolic/electrolyte problems, of which osteoporosis most certainly is...

Once again, the medical community throws pills at the problem, rather than ferreting out the root cause, which is partially a nutritional problem.

There are lots of ways to incorporate it into a daily diet. Of course, greek spinach pie is the best, but probably not the healthiest.
My idea of a quick and tasty lunch is cottage cheese mixed with fresh spinach instead of lettuce.

Spinach and some other greens contain oxalic acid. Because of the way these chemicals interact, you won't absorb the calcium from spinach.

I'm not convinced that there is much evidence that most people over 30 can absorb calcium in any case, although calcium carbonate is probably the most difficult to absorb. You can pay a lot of money for ascorbate and have a slightly higher chance that it might be absorbed. That expensive coral calcium is the also calcium carbonate -- can't be absorbed. I'm not sure what to say. Osteoporosis has badly impacted my family and the truth is, there isn't much to be done about it that appears to make any difference. The bone-building years are in the teens and twenties; if you didn't eat a lot of good absorbable calcium then, it's probably too late, although weight-bearing exercise might help somewhat.

For a giggle, next time you're at the chiropractor's, ask her to show you your calcium pill (just sitting there and NOT being absorbed in your stomach) -- she won't have any trouble finding it on the X-ray.

As for spinach, it is a fine food and a necessity in fine cooking but I would eat it in moderation.

Believe me, I'm probably sorrier about this than you are. I am really concerned about our lack of choices to effectively combat osteoporosis.

that manifests itself in later life. As you pointed out, unless you get sufficient calcium during your bone-building years, there is not much chance for improvement later on.

bone density thanks to being raised on soft drinks.

He said that it takes twice as long to train recruits these days because it takes that long to get their BONE strength up.

nfm

you will no longer want any dairy.

Besides George Bush. :P

Now I know why there are so many weak-kneed, head-hanging people in this country these days.

Two years ago, I was complaining to me doctor about lingerine pain from the car accident that herniated my first two discs in March of 2000. He ordered some blood tests, and discovered that I had a testosterone deficiency. He said that could be contributing to the pain levels I was experiencing, and could eventually lead to osteoporosis if not corrected.

I've been getting monthly testosterone injections ever since.

I urge all male DU-ers in their 50s or older to get their testosterone levels checked. It can make a REAL difference.