Aug 25, 20213 min read

The Secret of Bone Problems and Preventative Ways

Our bones support us and allow us to move. They protect our brain, heart, and other organs from injury. Our bones also store minerals such as calcium and phosphorous, which keep our bones strong, and release them into the body when we needed.

Did you know that women are 4 times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men?

As a Nigerian, if this is your first time reading about osteoporosis, it is a disease of the bones that causes bones to become weak and break easily. Osteoporosis affects mostly older women, but prevention starts when you are young. There are multiple reasons why women are more likely to get osteoporosis than men, such as women tend to have smaller, thinner bones than men.

Estrogen, a hormone in women that protects bones, decreases sharply when women reach menopause, which can cause bone loss.

Hunched backs, back pain, and frailty used to be things older women had to accept before doctors knew anything more about osteoporosis. However, the disease is preventable with a few tweaks to your lifestyle. The behaviors that women develop in their childhood, their adolescence, and in their early adult years really play a significant role in the development of the disease.

Factors Affecting Chances of Osteoporosis:

There are three major factors that affect your chance of experiencing osteoporosis:

The amount of bone you have when you reach menopause: The greater your bone density is to begin with, the lower your chance of developing osteoporosis. If you had low peak bone mass or other risk factors that caused you to lose bone, your chance of getting osteoporosis is greater.
How fast you lose bone after you reach menopause: For some women, bone loss happens faster than for others. A woman can lose up to 20% of her bone density during the 5 to 7 years following menopause. If you lose bone quickly, you have a greater chance of developing osteoporosis.
Expectant women: As a Nigerian woman, pregnant or breastfeeding, be sure to get enough calcium and vitamin D. These vitamins are good for you and for your baby’s growing bones. If you don’t get enough of these nutrients, your baby’s calcium needs will be met by taking calcium from your bones.

Here are some ways to reduce your chances of getting Osteoporosis

Get enough calcium and vitamin D each day.
Get active. Choose weight-bearing physical activities, like running or dancing to build and strengthen your bones.
Issue #5678 Don’t smoke. Smoking raises your risk for broken bones.
If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation because studies show too much alcohol can harm your bones.

In Nigeria, more education on the importance of bone health and the burden of osteoporosis needs to be intensified among the general population to reduce the incidences especially among women.

How to maintain and improve your Bone Health: OSTEOCARE®

Supplementation also goes a long way in improving and protecting bone health. Nigerians as well as entire Africa need to incorporate nutritional supplements in addition to their daily diets to improve their health outcomes. Bone health is important for us all.

With Osteocare®, you get extra support for your entire family – a specially-formulated source of Calcium to help maintain normal bones combined with important co-factors including Vitamin D, Zinc and Magnesium. It’s expert nutritional support that goes beyond your bones.