Why women are twice as likely to suffer from osteoporosis compared to men – Firstpost

Osteoporosis has become a major public health problem in India, with alarming statistics showing that approximately 61 million people suffer from it, 80 percent of whom are women. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 30 percent of postmenopausal women worldwide suffer from osteoporosis, highlighting a pressing problem that requires urgent attention.

In India, the peak incidence of osteoporosis occurs 10–20 years earlier than in Western countries, which has a significant impact on health and economic resources. This premature onset not only increases the risk of fractures and related complications, but also places a heavy burden on healthcare systems and families.

Dr. Aashish Chaudhrydirector and head of the department of orthopedics and joint replacement at Aakash Healthcare, sheds light on this condition, highlighting its prevalence among postmenopausal women and the elderly.

What is osteoporosis and why is it a public health threat?

Dr. Chaudhry: Osteoporosis, in simple terms, is called the void or weakness of the bones or skeletal system and usually occurs most often in postmenopausal women and older men. There are two main categories of osteoporosis: one is senile osteoporosis, the other is postmenopausal osteoporosis, both are related to age, and also in women due to menopause, there is a sudden drop in estrogen levels, which is actually a bone protector hormone that protects bones and bones. due to loss during the first 5 years after menopause causes severe osteoporosis and is a public health threat because as a silent disease it is not easy to diagnose and most people believe that generalized weakness, bone pain is age related and then it remains unnoticed until the final event of a major fracture or trivial injury that then leads to catastrophic complications.

So, if you look at the data over the age of 50, every second woman suffers from osteoporosis to varying degrees and most of them end in a fracture, and 1 in 4 men also suffer from osteoporosis over the age of 50. It is therefore quite a common problem and due to additional calcium and vitamin D deficiencies, early diagnosis and good treatment become more important.

At what age does the risk of osteoporosis usually increase and are there early warning signs?

Dr. Chaudhry: The risk of osteoporosis increases primarily in the elderly group, mainly after the age of 50, especially in postmenopausal women, and in men over 50, it gradually worsens if the patient or older man does not take appropriate precautions. Yes, there are subtle early warning signs where most patients complain of generalized bone pain, especially around the wrists and spine, there is a gradual loss of height, muscle wasting, and gait becomes weak and brittle. So these are typical signs of early osteoporosis symptoms.

What are the main risk factors for developing osteoporosis?

Dr. Chaudhry: The main risk factor is age and gender. The oldest age group is the most affected. women are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis than men. Then other lifestyle factors like excessive alcohol consumption and smoking, taking steroids or certain drugs like steroids, anti-epileptic drugs, cancer drugs and many other such drugs also cause high risk of osteoporosis and apart from that there are also some genetic factors , which are beyond control, but yes, it gives us insight into whether it’s possible to start with a known trend. Early detection or benefit from early detection and regular testing.

Thanks to this, osteoporosis detected at an early stage can be treated well.

How do lifestyle factors such as diet, physical activity and smoking affect the risk of osteoporosis?

Dr. Chaudhry: Lifestyle factors are the most important factors that can make or break a bone. The diet, especially if it is not high in protein, is deficient in calcium and lacks vitamin D, and green vegetables increase the risk of osteoporosis because they are essential raw materials for bone health. And if it contains excessive fat intake, this leads to morbid or severe obesity, which can indirectly affect the skeletal system. The second aspect is physical exercise. Most people with a sedentary lifestyle would not exercise much and the weight is also greater and especially due to lack of exercise, the blood circulation around the bones also decreases, which also leads to osteoporosis and therefore, regular physical activity, especially weight-bearing exercise, can reduce the effects of osteoporosis or age-related bone degeneration. Third factor smoking definitely affects the antioxidant mechanism of tissues, and may also indirectly cause a tendency to develop osteoporosis.

Are women more susceptible to osteoporosis than men? If so, why?

Dr. Chaudhry: Yes, women are almost twice as likely to develop osteoporosis, at higher risk, with 1 in 2 women suffering from osteoporosis after the age of 50 and 1 in 4 men suffering from osteoporosis. The main cause is menopause, which reduces the level of estrogen, the hormone that protects the bones, and therefore due to the sudden loss of estrogen, there is a sudden rapid loss of bone mass, causing very severe osteoporosis in many women.

What steps can individuals take to prevent osteoporosis, especially as they age?

Dr. Chaudhry: So, first of all, lifestyle modification, regular exercise and a rich diet
calcium, vitamin D and high protein content, which will indirectly prevent development
osteoporosis, as well as engaging in this or that physical activity, whether or not it is possible
yoga, jogging, running, sports, non-contact sports or any form of walking or moving around as well
further reduce the incidence of osteoporosis.

And then someone who is already at high risk is this patient
should take calcium and vitamin D supplements regularly depending on your body
required, and then all these steps will indirectly promote bone health and reduce
risk of osteoporosis.

How important are calcium and vitamin D in preventing osteoporosis and what are the best sources of these nutrients?

Dr. Chaudhry: Calcium and vitamin D are an integral part of our skeletal system and to prevent osteoporosis, we need to take calcium regularly every day, as well as vitamin D. So there are many recommended daily doses for the elderly or middle-aged population, ranging from, I would say, you can take from 800 to 2 grams of calcium, depending on the severity of the disease, age and other factors, and vitamin D is usually 800 to 1000 units per day can help calcium absorb calcium, and thus prevent osteoporosis to a great extent.

What exercises are most effective in strengthening bones and preventing osteoporosis?

Dr. Chaudhry: In most cases, light weight-bearing exercises, simple gymnastics and cardio exercises, even brisk walking, cycling, training on an elliptical trainer, half-squats can greatly influence the occurrence of osteoporosis, as well as sports such as swimming, double table tennis or equivalent exercises or yoga activity can also prevent osteoporosis

How does maintaining a healthy weight affect bone health?

Dr. Chaudhry: Obesity is a direct precursor of osteoporosis because it not only increases the load on the knee joints, but also indirectly affects the skeleton due to the increase in fat content itself, reduces blood circulation, reduces muscle mass, which indirectly reduces blood circulation around the bones, thus causing osteoporosis. So maintaining a healthy weight by doing regular exercise will go a long way in preventing osteoporosis in the long run.