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| 1. Prevention / 2. Risk Factors | |
Who's at risk?PreventionMany people are at risk for osteoporosis. But this disease is not an inevitable part of growing older, and everyone who doesn't yet have it is in a position to prevent it. So whatever your risk for this disease is (see Risk Factors), if you don't have it now, taking preventive steps will lower your risk of developing it. Osteoporosis prevention is based on the fact that this disease usually occurs slowly over time. A healthy, nonsmoking lifestyle -- with regular (especially weight-bearing) exercise and a diet that's low in fat and includes recommended amounts of calcium (1,000-1,500 mg a day) and vitamin D (at least 400 units a day) -- goes a long way toward building healthy bones. Fortunately, it's never too late in life to start getting the bone-preserving effects of calcium and vitamin D supplementation. In women entering menopause, hormone replacement (estrogen) therapy can cut the risk of spine and hip fractures by 50% and increase bone density by up to 10% in the spine and 5% in the hips. The earlier estrogen therapy is begun, the more bone will be preserved. Women who are at high risk for osteoporosis (see Risk Factors) or over age 65 should consider having regular bone mineral density (BMD) tests to monitor their rate of bone loss. BMD testing is painless, noninvasive, and safe.
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