Osteoporosis, Calcium, vitamin D, and Bone Development
The relationship between osteoporosis, calcium, vitamin D and bone development is calcium is already good for your bones and helps ward off osteoporosis. The nutrient is essentially a building block of bone, and it helps maintain bone strength throughout your lifetime. But calcium can only reach its full bone-building potential if your body has enough vitamin D. Calcium and vitamin D work together to protect your bones, calcium helps build and maintain bones, while vitamin D helps your body effectively absorb calcium. So even if you’re taking in enough calcium, it could be going to waste if you’re deficient in vitamin D. Many women of all ages in the US do not get enough calcium in their diet. The vast majority of endocrinologists encourage their female patients to take supplemental calcium daily. Osteoporosis is a “silent” disease because you typically do not have symptoms, and you may not even know you have the disease until you break a bone. Osteoporosis is the major cause of fractures in postmenopausal women and in older men. Fractures can occur in any bone but happen most often in bones of the hip, vertebrae in the spine, and wrist. Osteoporosis is a bone disease that develops when bone mineral density and bone mass decreases, or when the quality or structure of bone changes. This can lead to a decrease in bone strength that can increase the risk of fractures (broken bones). However, you can take steps to help prevent the disease and fractures by drinking alcohol in moderation, quitting smoking, or not starting if you don’t smoke, staying physically active by participating in weight-bearing exercises such as walking, taking your medications, if prescribed, which can help prevent fractures in people who have osteoporosis. Eating a nutritious diet rich in calcium and vitamin D to help maintain good bone health.
Calcium and vitamin D utilization in the optimization of bone health is often overlooked by patients and health care providers. In addition, the optimal standard of care for osteoporosis should encompass adequate calcium and vitamin D intake. Dietary intake or supplementation with calcium and vitamin D will be reviewed, including recent recommendations for increased vitamin D intake. Compliance to calcium and vitamin D therapy is paramount for effective prevention of osteoporotic fractures. Since bone loss occurs without symptoms, osteoporosis is often considered a ‘silent disease’. As deterioration of bone tissue mounts and disruption of bone architecture occurs, the bone becomes so weak that a relatively minor bump or fall causes a fracture or vertebrae to collapse. The resulting fracture may lead to loss of mobility and independence, with 25% requiring long term care. Fractures caused by either osteoporosis or low bone mass can lead to chronic pain, disability, as well as psychological symptoms, including depression. A woman’s risk of hip fracture is equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer). Unfortunately, approximately 24% of patients with hip fractures over the age of 50 will die in the year following the fracture.
Bone disintegration, the terms osteoporosis and ossification are often used synonymously to indicate the process of bone formation. Parts of the skeleton form during the first few weeks after conception. Bone development continues throughout adulthood. Even after adult stature is attained, bone development continues for repair of fractures and for remodeling to meet changing lifestyles. Osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts are the three cells type involved in the development, growth and remodeling of bones. Osteoblasts are bone-forming cells, osteocytes are mature bone cells and osteoclasts break down and reabsorb bone.
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