Does drinking coffee cause osteoporosis? Huaxi doctors summarize the three bad habits that hurt bones the most

When people reach a certain age, it is easy for the following situations to happen:

When my boyfriend's mother said: I'll give you 5 million to leave my son

When the leader says: You don't want to take the blame, just pack up and leave

When parents say: If you don’t give birth to a child, we won’t have a child like you

......

My back can't be straightened and my bones have become soft.

Apart from the first one, which you gladly accepted and secretly felt happy about, it would be difficult to make decisions on the others, right? So how can you maintain a strong character?

Especially after the age of 35, real life makes it difficult to maintain one's backbone, and it is also difficult for the bones of the body and head to remain truly strong!

What is the reason why we become bone-chilling after the age of 35?

Dr. Wang Qin from the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at West China Hospital of Sichuan University said: The main reason is that you did not save enough money, and the "house" was not built solidly enough!

Don't worry about not increasing bone mass

I'm afraid of destroying the house and ruining it

Previously, we compared bone mass to “saving money”, remember?

When it comes to strengthening bones, it’s just like in real life. Over time, the more “money” you save, the more abundant natural resources you will have, and the more relaxed your life will be.

But today, we want to change the way we say it and help you understand how bones go from a growing state to a strong peak and then become fragile. This process is the same as building a house .

Let’s first get to know a pair of brothers, osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Image source: drawn by myself. They play a very important role in the life of bones. It can be said that without them, there would be no bones.

It is necessary to declare that:

No matter what kind of brothers they are, they are very good when they are good at it, and they cooperate perfectly when they grow and progress together;

But there are also times of fighting and division, and due to the imbalance in development, a less harmonious state is caused.

The specific situation is reflected in the following aspects↓

Before the age of 35, osteoblasts are responsible for "building the house"

For bones, the human body reaches its highest bone mass (peak bone mass) at the age of 35.

Before this, the main role is played by osteoblasts, which can make bones taller, thicker, stronger and stronger; while at this time, the osteoclasts are responsible for shaping and helping to sculpt the bones into the shape we need.

Image source: I drew it myself

After the age of 35, brothers work together to "protect the house"

When bone mass reaches its peak, it will no longer increase (nothing will!), but it will not decrease directly. Instead, it will enter a state of equilibrium, and this balance is the result of the coordinated work of osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

For example, in daily activities, many tiny cracks will occur on the bones, which are called microfractures;

When this happens, the two brothers each bring their friends to carry out repairs, remediate what needs to be done, and reshape what needs to be done. Everyone works equally and has a lot of fun, all to maintain the strength of the bones so that we can live an energetic life!

After the age of 50, osteoclasts begin to "demolish the house"

After menopause in women and after age 50 in men, the activity and function of osteoclasts are greatly enhanced due to the decline of estrogen, androgen and growth hormone, and they become stronger than osteoblasts.

Image source: I drew it myself

To put it bluntly, the osteoclasts at this time are like rebellious old people. A task that only requires 50% of their strength to accomplish, but the osteoclasts have to use 80% of their strength.

For example, it only needed to dig a crack, but it insisted on digging a big hole, ruining everything that was good.

As shown in the figure below, you can see the power of osteoclasts↓

Image source: Photo Network

In short, what osteoclasts do at this stage is to cause us to lose more bone mass, and osteoporosis and fractures mostly occur at this time.

There are ways to increase revenue and reduce expenditure

It is the bone that is maintained.

After introducing the abilities of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, let's talk about some useful aspects.

How can we save more money (enhance the function of osteoblasts) and spend less money (inhibit osteoclasts)?

The purpose of saving more "money" is to keep your bones strong, and it is best not to have a situation where the house is crumbling (osteoporosis) or collapsing (fracture).

A more effective method is to enhance the function of osteoblasts ! This can be achieved through the following three methods:

1

Supplement high-quality protein

The collagen component in our bones is formed by protein. If the intake is insufficient, it will directly affect the quality of the bones.

For example, bones are hard but "brittle", and protein can make bones tough and able to withstand external impacts.

Data shows that most Chinese people consume too little protein , especially the elderly;

Insufficient protein intake will not only affect bones, but also reduce muscles. When the muscle function of the elderly declines, they are very prone to falling, and causing fractures is not worth the cost!

It is recommended that everyone should consume sufficient amounts of lean meat, milk and other high-protein foods in daily life.

Image source: Photo Network

2

Ensure adequate bone nutrition

Whether it is for bone maintenance or growth, the calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D needed to maintain balance must be sufficient.

Otherwise, a long-term low-calcium diet will not only affect bone health, but also the whole body. Here I want to emphasize that you must consume adequate calcium from your diet, such as eating more dairy products.

A little knowledge:

Bones are actually the largest calcium storage. 99% of calcium is stored in bones. When there is not enough calcium and phosphorus in the blood, bones are used to supplement the needs of the blood.

Not only blood, but other organs and cells also need calcium, such as myocardial cells, myocardial blood vessels, etc.

Especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding, there is often a lack of calcium. At this time, the mother needs to break down bones to supply calcium to breast milk and the fetus. It can be said to be a major contributor!

3

Improve bone strength with weight-bearing exercise

The reason why bones exist is that the body needs them. They are indispensable for support, movement, and exercise.

Image source: Photo Network

You only need to observe and you will find that people who need strong bones, such as athletes, have strong bones. The body will determine what kind of bone support you need based on your lifestyle;

Weight-bearing training will make your body judge that you need strong bones to support you, which means that you can enhance bone strength. For example, aerobic exercises such as walking and running can be combined with weight lifting to strengthen muscles.

From a scientific point of view, there is no way to prevent bone loss.

As we age, no matter how hard osteoblasts try to fill the gap, they can never return to their peak value (you can’t turn back your age, right!)

However, it is still possible to inhibit osteoclasts to make the house stronger and more stable for a longer time. Here are three aspects to pay attention to:

1

Avoid premature menopause and seek early treatment

In daily life, we must ensure that the levels of various hormones are normal and avoid disorders.

Whether it is estrogen for women or androgen for men, including sex hormones in the body, they all play an important role in bones. If disorder occurs, osteoclasts will be enhanced, leading to an imbalance in bone health.

If premature ovarian failure occurs, treatment should be sought as soon as possible .

For example, if menstruation stops before the age of 40, it means a decrease in estrogen, which will cause the bones to enter a state of osteoporosis prematurely.

Image source: Made by myself

2

Avoid a sedentary (insufficient) lifestyle

As mentioned above, saving more "money" can strengthen bones through weight-bearing exercise. On the contrary, if your life is to sit in the office all day, drive to work, and rarely walk on the road...

Then your body will decide that you don't need strong bones, so you should go for a soft bone head.

So, even if you don’t like sports, you can go out more often. No matter what you do, just do it!

3

Avoid excessive caffeine intake

It has been a long-standing saying that tea and coffee can cause bone hyperplasia, but many people believe it simply because it makes them feel good. As the saying goes, it is irresponsible to talk about toxicity without considering the dosage.

Generally speaking, one 450 ml cup of coffee a day will not have any effect on the body, just don't exceed two cups.

But it depends on the concentration. For example, if you drink coffee made entirely of milk and a large cup of espresso, they are not on the same level!

Image source: Photo Network

When caffeine is consumed in excess, it can have two effects on bones:

First, it will over-activate the sympathetic nervous system and have a certain activating effect on osteoclasts; second, it will affect digestion and have a certain impact on calcium absorption.

Finally, a reminder that almost all chronic diseases will affect the bones.

Whether it is diabetes, thyroid disease, nervous system disease, autoimmune disease, digestive system disease, etc., it will affect bone health and calcium and phosphorus metabolism.

Therefore, protecting bones is really urgent!

Think about it, when people of the same age are still strong and healthy, jumping around to realize their dreams, dancing, rock climbing, and mountain climbing...

You are the only one who is trembling and shaking, unable to squat to go to the toilet, unable to go downstairs to buy groceries, and unable to walk more than two laps. Isn't it very uncomfortable...

Image source: Publish

I hope we can be tough when we grow old! (Did you get the pun?)

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Editor: Wang Xiaoqi

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