World Osteoporosis Day | This free method is better than calcium supplementation

October 20th is World Osteoporosis Day, and this year's theme is "Take Action for Bone Health".

When it comes to osteoporosis, many people have cognitive misunderstandings, thinking that "bone loss and osteoporosis are natural phenomena as we age" and do not take osteoporosis seriously, but in fact, osteoporosis is the most common bone disease.

In recent years, the incidence of osteoporosis among middle-aged and elderly people has increased year by year, seriously affecting people's quality of life. It has now become a public health issue that is receiving increasing attention from countries around the world.

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1. How to determine whether you have osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease caused by a variety of reasons, characterized by a decrease in the amount of bone tissue per unit volume. It manifests itself in the damage of bone tissue microstructure, a continuous decrease in the proportion of bone mineral components and bone matrix, bone thinning, a decrease in the number of trabeculae, increased bone brittleness and an increased risk of fractures.

Osteoporosis can be caused by factors such as aging, menopause in women, and endocrine diseases. Data show that after the age of 35, the body's bone mass begins to lose at a rate of 0.5% to 1% per year; the loss rate for women after menopause can even reach 2% to 3%; the incidence of osteoporosis in people over 50 years old can reach 50%.

As people age, the synthesis of calcium in bones decreases and the decomposition increases, and bone density gradually decreases. When bone density decreases to a certain level, it can cause osteoporosis.

Middle-aged and elderly people can test their bone density at home by themselves using this method: stand with your back against a wall and your body straight.

If the distance between the back of a person's head and the wall is more than 3 cm, it means that bone mass is being lost; if the distance is more than 6 cm, it means that a compression fracture may occur and medical attention should be sought as soon as possible.

2. Why does osteoporosis occur after taking calcium supplements?

Many middle-aged and elderly people have this feeling. They have been taking calcium supplements, but the effect is not good and they still have symptoms of osteoporosis.

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In fact, osteoporosis is closely related to kidney and liver function , and the health of the liver and kidneys is supported by nutrients absorbed by the stomach and intestines. Therefore, once the stomach and intestines are weak, the nutrients of the liver and kidneys cannot be well supplemented.

Many middle-aged and elderly people insist on taking calcium supplements but with little effect. This may be because weak gastrointestinal tract leads to inability to absorb nutrients, and the liver and kidneys cannot function normally. Over time, they will suffer from osteoporosis due to calcium deficiency.

In addition, although calcium is the main component of bones, it will not automatically deposit or transfer from the blood to the bones. Instead, it needs to be regulated by certain substances to play a role, such as active vitamin D, calcitonin, parathyroid hormone, sex hormones, etc.

Sunlight exposure, exercise, various physiological conditions or diseases can affect the production of these hormones, and these hormones can also affect each other.

Osteoporosis is closely related to the reduction of calcium content, but calcium supplementation alone cannot prevent or treat osteoporosis. While supplementing calcium, you should pay attention to getting more sun exposure, exercising moderately, and taking appropriate amounts of vitamin D to maintain the balance of endocrine in the human body.

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3. Scientific exercise, say goodbye to osteoporosis

Studies have shown that exercise can effectively prevent and treat osteoporosis, especially weight-bearing exercise and resistance exercise. However, exercise to prevent osteoporosis should not be rushed, and can be divided into the following stages and carried out step by step.

● Initial stage (1st to 3rd month of exercise)

For those who sit for a long time, have no exercise experience, and have poor physical fitness, walking, brisk walking, cycling, pedal aerobics, standing on one leg and other sports are recommended, practiced 3 times a week, 20 to 40 minutes each time. You can also choose Tai Chi, Ba Duan Jin, Wu Qin Xi, etc., 30 to 60 minutes each time, 4 to 6 times a week.

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If you cannot adapt at the beginning, you can sweat obviously or your heart rate reaches 55% to 65% of your maximum heart rate, and then gradually increase the intensity.

● Intermediate stage (4th to 9th month of exercise)

For those who have completed the primary stage of exercise or have the habit of exercising, it is recommended to practice brisk walking, jogging, cycling, pedal aerobics, standing on one leg, low-intensity resistance exercise such as elastic bands, etc., three times a week, 30 to 45 minutes each time. You can also choose Tai Chi, Ba Duan Jin, Wu Qin Xi, Tai Chi soft ball, etc., 40 to 60 minutes each time, 4 to 6 times a week.

● Advanced stage (10th to 12th month of exercise)

For people who have completed intermediate stage training or have a certain sports foundation and good physical fitness, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, weighted step exercises, low-intensity resistance exercises such as elastic bands, etc. are recommended, 4 times a week, 30 to 45 minutes each time; or Tai Chi, Five Animal Exercises, etc. can be chosen, 40 to 70 minutes each time, 6 times a week.

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It is best to do no fatigue or mild fatigue during each exercise. Do 10 minutes of warm-up and relaxation exercises before and after each exercise.

It is recommended that the initial stage be guided by professionals, with at least one meeting per week (face-to-face interviews or other forms of communication are acceptable), and health education and assessments every month. Once the standards are met, the next stage of training can be entered.

Appropriate exercise can regulate bone growth and development, help increase bone mass, effectively improve blood circulation inside the bone, increase the activity of bone cells, promote bone formation, and inhibit the dissolution of calcium components in the bone; it can also stimulate the body to secrete estrogen, increase its concentration and the amount of calcium in the bone; increase muscle strength, coordination and balance, enhance the body's flexibility and stability, and reduce the incidence of high-risk factors for fractures such as falls.

Adhering to scientific exercise can not only promote blood circulation and neurohumoral regulation in the human body, but also increase the absorption of elements such as calcium, phosphorus, and manganese, causing benign changes in bone structure.

Therefore, to prevent osteoporosis, we cannot rely solely on calcium supplementation, but also need to engage in scientific exercise.

Author: Lu Xiang, Chief Physician of Geriatrics Department, Shaw Hospital, Nanjing Medical University

Review | Guo Shubin, Chief Physician of the Emergency Department, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University

Submitted by: Chinese Medical Association

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