OSTEOPENIA, THE FIRST STAGEOF OSTEOPOROSIS, IS AFFECTING YOUNG ADULTS DUE TO SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES AND POOR NUTRITION.
Noticing a startling trend of osteopenia cases in young adults. Most of them report lethargy, bone pain and frequent fractures after small injuries. “What was common among women in their 40s can now be seen in 20-year-olds.” Osteopenia was considered a common bone condition among the elderly, but now it is striking the young.”
EARLY DAMAGE:
Doctors say inadequate nutrition and lack of physical activity in childhood lay the foundation for adult bone diseases. The doctor was appalled to find osteopenia in an 11 year old boy. “He came for a femur fracture evaluation from a minor trauma when we made the discovery. He had no significant comorbidities but was found to have poor dietary calcium intake, low sunlight exposure and limited physical activity.”
A SILENT DISEASE:
Osteopenia and osteoporosis are both varying degrees of bone loss as measured by bone mineral density (BMD), a marker for how strong a bone is. Osteopenia is the first stage of bone loss, and often referred to as a ‘silent’ disease since most people with the condition experience no symptoms at all. It typically affects people over 50. Genetics and lifestyle factors also play a part. The good news is that it is reversible.
Early signs of osteopenia include frequent fractures from minor injuries, persistent body pain, particularly in weight-bearing arenas, noticeable decrease in height and early curvature of the spine or stooped posture. Most ignore those symptoms till the problem worsens to osteoporosis.
MEN GET IT TOO:
With advancing age, women have a higher prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis. Testosterone gives men natural protection as it helps maintain bone health and density, but that doesn’t mean men don’t get it.
FINDING THE ROOT CAUSE:
Links rising incidence to poor sleep quality, too much junk food, alcohol, and smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, and lack of vitamin D. “Major lifestyle changes in the past 20 years, with more people working through the night and poor dietary intake, has led to the trend. Most patients may not even know they have osteopenia. They must look for fatigue, weakness, and pain in knees which are classic symptoms of weaker bones.”
The first step of treatment for osteopenia involves diet and exercise chores. The risk of breaking a bone when you have osteopenia is fairly small, so doctors don’t usually prescribe medicine unless your BMD is close to osteoporosis level. But combating a sedentary lifestyle is crucial. Like muscles, bones get stronger when you use them. So, the best moves for bones are weight-bearing exercises that force your body to work against gravity.
Doctors recommend at least 10,000 steps daily. “That, and adequate sunlight exposure to boost vitamin D levels, a balanced rich in calcium, including dairy products, bananas, custard apple, finger millet etc. One can also vitamin D and calcium supplements.”
Treatment depends on the root cause — hormonal imbalance, lifestyle, diet, or lack of exercise. We adopted a multi-pronged approach that will take about 5-6 months to completely treat osteopenia. Sometimes, people also require counseling as depression and stress contribute to the condition. Early intervention is crucial to treat osteopenia and avoid osteoporosis.”
WHAT ARE THE TESTS NEEDED?
- DEXA OR DXA scan, a bone density test to measure mineral content of bones.
- QUANTITIVE ULTRASOUND, a non-invasive screening method, as well as blood tests to assess alkaline phosphatase, vitamin D, and calcium levels.
- RADIOGRAPHS to rule out fractures, other conditions.
- FRAX Score, an assessment tool used to estimate the 10-year probability of fractures.
TO IMPROVE BONE HEALTH.
- Get enough calcium.
- Walk, run, and lift weights.
- Don’t forget vitamin D.
- Avoid alcohol, smoking.
TESTS SCORE OF OSTEOPENIA:
Normal bone: T-score greater than-1.
Osteopenia: T-score -1 to 2.5
Osteoporosis: T-score of -2.5 or less
