What factors can affect bone health?
Bones are living parts of the body that are constantly undergoing a remodeling process of breaking down and being rebuilt. Each year approximately 20 to 40 percent of the skeleton is renewed.
Many lifestyle factors contribute to a decrease in bone mass, including the harmful effects of smoking cigarettes, consuming alcohol, and consuming excess protein. Factors affecting bone health is:
Physical activity: Weight-bearing activities, such as jogging and strength training increase stress on the bones. This leads to increased remodeling of the bone and increased bone building. Prolonged immobilization, such as bed rest, can result in bone loss.
Smoking: Smokers have thinner bones than non-smokers, and an increase in fracture risk.
Medications: Long-acting benzodiazepines (used to treat insomnia and seizure disorders) and glucocorticoids (steroids) can result in bone loss.
Diet:
1. Alcohol— Use and abuse of alcohol has negative effects on the bone. Alcohol depresses bone formation, but there is controversy about the lower limit of alcohol intake that results in bone problems. We know that heavy drinkers do show problems with bone formation. Also, heavy drinkers usually have diets poor in vitamins and minerals needed for bone health. Alcohol abusers also have a higher risk of falling due to intoxication.
2. Caffeine— Caffeine increases the loss of calcium from the body; however, the negative effects can be offset by adequate calcium intake.
3. Protein— Animal protein has been associated with calcium loss.
4. Sodium— Diets high in sodium can contribute to calcium loss, because when sodium is lost from the body through the urine, it pulls calcium with it.
5. Calcium— Adequate calcium intakes over a lifetime are considered to be protective.
To give your bones the full range of ultimate bone support they need to help you live the healthy, active and carefree life.
Many things can affect your bone health and your risk of osteoporosis, a disease marked by low bone mass that increases the risk of fractures. Dietary factors and how well you body absorbs nutrients from food can impact on your bones. For example, your body may have trouble absorbing enough calcium from your diet. Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking and weight-training can help preserve and increase your bone mass. Can some medications affect my bones? Yes. For example, if you’re taking corticosteroids (i.e., prednisone), they can decrease bone density. Some medications, such as anti-epileptics (e.g., phenobarbitol) and anti-ulcer medications (e.g., H-2 receptor antagonists) can deplete calcium stores, also weakening bones. Talk to your Rexall™ family pharmacist about our Replenish & Renew Nutrient Depletion Program. Is dairy the best source of calcium? Not necessarily. It’s a good source of calcium, but it’s not as easy for the body to absorb from dairy foods as it is from some o
