Treating osteoporosis cannot be done with just calcium

Osteoporosis is a systemic bone disease characterized by decreased bone mass, destruction of bone microstructure, decreased bone strength, and easy fractures. At present, more than 190 million people in my country suffer from osteoporosis. In order to prevent osteoporosis, people buy calcium tablets, vitamin D and other supplements to supplement calcium. Little do people know that blindly supplementing calcium not only has no therapeutic effect, but may even cause adverse reactions. This is because there are many kinds of calcium supplements at present, and many people do not know which calcium can be supplemented, which calcium cannot be supplemented, and how to choose the right calcium tablets. With the increase of age, the risk of osteoporosis in the elderly will gradually increase. So, how should we treat osteoporosis, and what should we pay attention to in daily life?

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1. Why does osteoporosis occur?

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First, with age, the levels of calcium and vitamin D in the human body decrease; second, an unhealthy lifestyle such as unreasonable diet, smoking, excessive drinking, long-term drinking of caffeinated beverages, excessive intake of salt and high-phosphorus foods are also important causes of osteoporosis. In addition, genetic factors are also one of the important risk factors for osteoporosis. Genetic factors make women more susceptible to osteoporosis, while men are less likely to develop it because men have lower levels of androgen in their bodies. In addition, the older people are, the higher the risk of fractures, which is related to the accelerated rate of bone loss, reduced bone density, and increased fragility in the elderly.

2. The main manifestations of osteoporosis

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The main clinical manifestations of osteoporosis include bone pain, hunchback, shortened height and fractures.

1. Bone pain: This is the most common symptom, mainly caused by vertebral compression fractures. The pain spreads to both sides of the spine, and is relieved when lying on your back or sitting. The pain is aggravated when standing upright, stretching backwards, standing or sitting for a long time, and aggravated when bending over, coughing, or straining during bowel movements.

2. Lumbar and back curvature: When patients walk, they may suffer from compression fractures of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, chest deformation, and flexion of the spine, which may lead to shortening of height and hunchback.

3. Fracture: This is the most serious complication. Osteoporotic fractures mainly occur in the chest, lumbar spine, and hip. Hip fracture is the most serious complication, which will bring great pain and heavy economic burden to patients.

4. Decreased respiratory function: This is also one of the common symptoms of osteoporosis. Compression fractures of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, kyphosis, and chest deformity can significantly reduce vital capacity and maximum ventilation volume. Patients often experience symptoms such as chest tightness and shortness of breath.

3. Do not rely solely on calcium supplementation

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Some elderly people think that calcium supplementation can prevent and treat osteoporosis, so they just need calcium tablets. In fact, calcium supplementation alone cannot prevent and treat osteoporosis. This is a one-sided view, and calcium supplementation alone will also bring some adverse consequences.

First of all, the calcium ingested by the human body must be absorbed into the blood through the gastrointestinal tract before it can be used by the bones. If it cannot be fully absorbed, it will increase the burden on the kidneys. Long-term use of inorganic calcium preparations such as calcium carbonate will cause excessively high blood calcium levels and even cause hypercalcemia; secondly, improper calcium supplementation can also lead to osteoporosis. Some elderly people will experience symptoms such as joint pain, muscle cramps, and fractures. This is because the activity of osteoclasts in patients with osteoporosis is enhanced. In addition, the calcium ingested by the human body will be broken down into oxalic acid and uric acid in the body, and oxalic acid and uric acid will combine with calcium in the body to form insoluble precipitates that cannot be absorbed by the body. If this situation lasts too long, it will lead to high oxalic acid, hyperuricemia and kidney stones. Calcium supplementation alone cannot effectively prevent and treat osteoporosis, and more attention should be paid to lifestyle.

Therefore, simply supplementing calcium is not an effective means of preventing and treating osteoporosis. Of course, elderly people may also suffer from osteoporosis due to calcium deficiency in their bodies due to eating habits, lifestyle and other reasons, but in this case, calcium supplements are needed. For postmenopausal women and the elderly, at least 800 mg of calcium should be supplemented every day to maintain calcium balance in the body. If calcium supplementation is needed, it is recommended to supplement calcium and vitamin D preparations reasonably under the guidance of a doctor.

4. Comprehensive treatment

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Once osteoporosis is diagnosed, basic self-treatment should be started and regular drug treatment should be received in the hospital. The purpose of treating osteoporosis is to reduce the risk of fractures, reduce the disability rate of patients caused by fractures, and significantly improve the quality of life of patients. Patients diagnosed with osteoporosis should choose an anti-osteoporosis drug such as phosphonates, calcitonin, parathyroid hormone, etc. on the basis of calcium supplementation and active vitamin D supplementation. At the same time, a reasonable diet should be taken to supplement calcium from food, such as eating more fish, dried shrimps, kelp, seaweed, sesame, beans, dairy products and other calcium-rich foods. Getting more sun and exercising appropriately can promote the synthesis of vitamin D, increase the activity of osteoblasts, and reduce calcium loss. Only through comprehensive treatment can osteoporosis be effectively prevented and treated.

5. Exercise is a good way to prevent and treat osteoporosis

1. Exercise is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Exercise can promote bone formation, reduce bone loss, enhance bone resistance and elasticity, and prevent fractures. Regular long-term exercise can reduce the incidence of fractures in the elderly and improve their quality of life.

2. Exercise needs to be gradual, starting with a small amount of exercise and gradually increasing. At the beginning, you can do some low-intensity exercise every day, such as walking, jogging, swimming, etc., and then gradually increase the amount and intensity of exercise. Exercises can be performed in a fresh air environment, such as outdoor walking, Tai Chi, dancing, etc.

3. Pay attention to the combination of work and rest during exercise to avoid excessive fatigue. Wear appropriate clothing and shoes during exercise to prevent falls and fractures. Elderly people should pay attention to safety when exercising to avoid accidents such as falls.

4. Osteoporosis patients should be careful not to move too much when exercising. If joint pain or fracture occurs, they should stop exercising and seek medical treatment in time.

5. When the elderly cannot adhere to long-term regular exercise due to mobility problems or decreased cognitive function, they can do some simple activities under the guidance of a professional doctor or professional rehabilitation therapist, such as stretching their limbs, practicing Tai Chi, doing aerobics, etc. They can also do some housework or indoor activities within their ability with the help of their family. This is conducive to maintaining good physical condition and preventing falls.

Through this series of explanations on osteoporosis, we hope that it will be helpful to you and those around you, and help you increase your understanding of osteoporosis and try to prevent and treat it.