Osteoporosis is not reversible, but medication, a nutrient-dense diet, and weight bearing exercise can help prevent further bone loss and rebuild bones.
Taking brisk walks for 30 minutes per day 3 or more times per week (volume>16) is recommended to prevent bone loss.
Simply walking in your neighborhood three times per week for a total of 150 minutes is great weight-bearing exercise for your legs, hips, and spine, and the activity slows mineral loss. Walking on an elliptical machine, biking, or low-impact aerobic exercise are other options.
Weight-bearing aerobic activities
Examples include walking, dancing, low-impact aerobics, elliptical training machines, stair climbing and gardening. These types of exercise work directly on the bones in your legs, hips and lower spine to slow mineral loss.
The short answer is no, osteoporosis cannot be completely reversed and is not considered curable, but there are a number of health and lifestyle adjustments you can make to improve bone loss. Your provider may also prescribe you medications to help rebuild and slow down bone loss.
Osteoporosis is more likely to occur in people who have: Low calcium intake. A lifelong lack of calcium plays a role in the development of osteoporosis. Low calcium intake contributes to diminished bone density, early bone loss and an increased risk of fractures.
Bone loss begins to occur at an approximate rate of 0.25% a year and is variable depending on many genetic and environmental factors. This may be considered the second stage towards osteopenia and/or osteoporosis. It is important to understand that this is a perfectly normal part of the aging process.
Nutrients in avocados may also treat cancer. Arthritis and osteoporosis. Studies on oil extracts from avocados show they can reduce osteoarthritis symptoms. The vitamin K in avocados boosts your bone health by slowing down bone loss and warding off osteoporosis.
Exercise
Just 30 minutes of exercise each day can help strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises, such as yoga, tai chi, and even walking, help the body resist gravity and stimulate bone cells to grow. Strength-training builds muscles which also increases bone strength.
Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, and climbing stairs, can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss.
The World Health Organization says a sedentary lifestyle even contributes to osteoporosis. Sitting at a desk all day, typing, and peering at a computer screen also have negative effects on joint health.
Sitting down slowly and gently is critical for osteoporosis to prevent injury when landing hard – even in a soft chair.
Does osteoporosis affect life expectancy? Osteoporosis is not a terminal illness and does not directly influence life expectancy. However, having a fracture can affect it. For example, a 2021 study found that older adults living in a care facility who experienced a hip fracture had a 25% death rate after 3 months.
Osteoporosis is more common in women. It affects almost 20% (1 in 5) of women aged 50 and over and almost 5% (1 in 20) of men aged 50 and over. Many people with osteoporosis do not know they have it until they break a bone.
When should you call the doctor about osteoporosis? If you have risk factors and are concerned about osteoporosis, ask your healthcare provider about being screened, even if you are not as old as 65 (for women) or 70 (for men). Osteoporosis can be serious. Fractures can alter or threaten your life.
People with osteoporosis may not have any symptoms. Some may have pain in their bones and muscles, particularly in their back. Sometimes a collapsed vertebra may cause severe pain, decrease in height, or spinal deformity. The symptoms of osteoporosis may look like other bone disorders or health problems.
If you already have osteoporosis, keep in mind that vitamin D and calcium alone are not enough to treat the disease. You'll need to take them along with other medications your doctor prescribes.
Osteoporosis is caused by a loss of bone density. It is a chronic condition, which means there is no cure, but medical therapies may help manage the problem(opens in a new tab).