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.
Stage 4. In this stage, your osteoporosis is very severe. Your risk of fractures is higher than in stage three, and you may actually have symptoms. The severe bone loss in stage 4 leads to changes in your spine, such as a stooped posture,and loss of height.
Bone fractures, particularly in the spine or hip, are the most serious complications of osteoporosis. Hip fractures often are caused by a fall and can result in disability and even an increased risk of death within the first year after the injury. In some cases, spinal fractures can occur even if you haven't fallen.
Women may lose as much as 10 to 20% of their bone density around the five or so years of menopause. Some may lose as much as 30%. It is not uncommon for women to lose up 2% of bone mineral density a year during menopause.
Severe osteoporosis is currently defined by the threshold of bone density value below the -2.5 SDS of T-score, determined by dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry, and the presence of one or more fragility fractures.
Exercises to avoid include touching your toes or doing sit-ups. Other activities that may require you to bend or twist forcefully at the waist are golf, tennis, bowling and some yoga poses.
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.
Older adults with osteoporosis are most vulnerable to bone breaks and fractures in their hip, wrist and spine. One in three women and one in five men will have a fracture at some point after age 50. Recent studies have found that walking can substantially reduce hip fracture risk in both men and women.
Symptoms of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is called a “silent” disease” because there are typically no symptoms until a bone is broken. Symptoms of vertebral (spine) fracture include severe back pain, loss of height, or spine malformations such as a stooped or hunched posture (kyphosis).
Osteoporosis does not directly affect life expectancy. However, it increases the risk of fractures, which may directly affect overall health and mortality. People often refer to osteoporosis as the “silent” disease , as most people are unaware that they have osteoporosis until they break a bone.
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.
Vitamin D may help with osteoporosis because it plays a role in bone growth and remodeling. The human body continually breaks down old bone and replaces it.
In general, life should be able to go on as normal – perhaps with just a few adjustments. Not everyone with osteoporosis will break a bone. Be reassured that if you don't break a bone, you won't have any pain or other long-term problems. Even if you do break a bone, pain and other ongoing problems aren't inevitable.
It is possible for people to treat or prevent osteoporosis without medication in some cases. If a person's osteoporosis has not caused too much bone loss, lifestyle changes can help prevent osteoporosis bone breaks. These changes include exercise, nutrition, and stopping smoking and drinking.
The best choices include plant proteins, such as beans and nuts, as well as fish, skinless poultry and lean cuts of meat.
It's not clear why people with osteoporosis may experience fatigue, but it could be because your body is lacking in vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency can contribute to both poor bone health and make you feel tired. Another connection may be between certain medications taken for osteoporosis.
Dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, collard greens, spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens and brussel sprouts. Calcium and vitamin D are sometimes added to certain brands of juices, breakfast foods, soy milk, rice milk, cereals, snacks and breads.
Beverage options that are better choices include calcium and vitamin D-fortified juices, plain or chocolate milk, or flavored waters. While caffeine is widely believed to have some health benefits, it is also proven to deplete calcium from bones.
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.
So, on that note, which is the best fruit for bones? Oranges, bananas, plantains, prunes, grapefruits, strawberries, papaya, pineapples, and guavas are examples of fruits high in vitamin C. In addition, fruits rich in vitamin K, like figs, blueberries, raspberries, plums, and grapes are healthy for bones.