“Men and women build peak bone mass until about the age of thirty,” explains Hendrien Witte. “This ensures the strength of the bones. Yet women naturally have lower bone mass than men. This is because men are generally heavier, which puts more strain on their bones and makes them stronger.”
Hormones
Hormones also play an important role in women. “During the childbearing years, the hormone estrogen protects and builds bone tissue. But as soon as menopause comes into view and estrogen production decreases, that balance changes.” So when a woman produces less estrogen, this process is disrupted. This not only happens during menopause, but also, for example, in girls and women with anorexia. Witte: “The hormone balance in girls and women with anorexia is completely disrupted, menstruation does not occur at a certain point and peak bone mass is no longer built up. So they are very early in that process.”
According to Witte, bone breakdown then proceeds faster than bone building, which weakens the bone system. Yet osteoporosis is not just a women’s condition. “Men can also get osteoporosis, but this happens less often for them because the role of estrogen in their body is smaller.”
Underrated
In addition to heredity and underlying diseases or their treatment, according to Witte, hormonal changes also play a role in the development of osteoporosis. The risk also increases with hormone therapy, which is used to combat, for example, breast cancer. But pregnancy can also cause this. “During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the body removes extra nutrients from the bones, which can affect bone density. There are therefore many different factors that explain why women in particular are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis.”
Certain medications can affect bone density not only in women, but also in men. Long-term use of prednisone medication can increase the risk of osteoporosis, according to Witte.
Prevention
Witte says that there are also preventive ways to protect your bones. “It starts with building a good peak bone mass before the age of thirty, by exercising. Bone formation is also stimulated by good nutrition, where you should pay particular attention to ensuring that you get enough calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and vitamin K2.”
According to Witte, strength training is essential for the development of strong bones, because it increases both bone density and muscle strength. “When you exercise, you not only work your muscles, but also your bones,” she explains. “Muscles pull on the bones and that force stimulates the bone to become stronger.” She explains that strong muscles also provide better stability, which reduces the risk of falls and fractures. “So it certainly makes sense to go to the gym later in life and it is even very important for people in their 70s and 80s.”
According to Witte, osteoporosis is a chronic condition that cannot be completely cured, but with sufficient and good bone-loading exercise and a healthy lifestyle you can do a lot to improve your bones and slow down further degradation.
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Hormone supplementation
Women who are going through menopause can receive hormone replacement therapy, whereby the hormones that the body produces less are replenished to reduce complaints. “This is mainly done for women who really suffer from menopause, so not for all women.” She emphasizes that it is not a complete solution. “It will not completely solve the problem, but it will reduce hormonal fluctuations and decrease in estrogen.” This can limit the risk of bone loss and fractures.
Broken bones
According to Witte, a lower estrogen level also increases the risk of bone and vertebral fractures. “You often don’t notice it until you suddenly break something,” she says. “With a vertebral fracture, the vertebra collapses, as it were, causing your posture to change. Your back becomes a bit rounder, your balance changes and you lose height.” That loss of height can put pressure on muscles and nerves and sometimes even make breathing difficult.
Vertebral fractures can also cause pain. Witte emphasizes that these complaints are not initially thought to be vertebral fractures. Spinal fractures are easily overlooked as a cause in doctors’ offices, even though they can have a major impact on daily activities and a person’s quality of life.
On www.osteoporosevereniging.nl there is a weak bone test with eight questions, with which you can check for yourself whether you have an increased risk of osteoporosis. “Please note that if there are risk factors, this does not mean that you will get it, but it may be an extra incentive to take a preventive approach with healthy food and bone-stressing exercise. If you are concerned, always talk to your doctor or GP. You can also consult the website of the Osteoporosis Association for more information.”
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