October 20, 2024, is World Osteoporosis Day.
Because the previous saying goes, sticks and stones could break your bones however neglecting your bone well being will harm you.
If it’s been awhile since you considered your bones, we get it. Bone well being is underrated. Nevertheless it’s additionally actually vital. Let’s put it this fashion: You’ll be able to’t do a lot with no skeleton.
It’s particularly vital for ladies and other people assigned feminine at beginning to be proactive about bone well being as a result of osteoporosis, a illness that makes bones weak and brittle, impacts 10 million folks within the U.S. and eight out of 10 of these are ladies.
The bodily penalties of osteoporosis might be life-changing. A easy stretch, bend — even a cough — may end up in a fracture or damaged bone if in case you have osteoporosis. In truth, about half of all ladies over age 50 will break a bone in some unspecified time in the future due to the illness.
Past breaks, osteoporosis may have a major influence in your psychological well being.
Osteoporosis and melancholy
Along with bodily issues, osteoporosis has been linked to critical psychological well being points. Analysis reveals folks with osteoporosis are extra prone to have melancholy in comparison with individuals who don’t have osteoporosis. In a single 2022 examine of principally ladies, a majority of contributors with osteoporosis had melancholy (86.9%) in comparison with 15.4% of the group who didn’t have osteoporosis.
Deborah T. Gold, Ph.D., professor emerita in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke College Medical Middle, has studied the connection between osteoporosis and melancholy for years. “After I began doing the analysis, we discovered that individuals [with osteoporosis] who received a fracture had been restricted in what they may do. It made them really feel previous — and it harm — and that led to melancholy,” Gold stated. “I do suppose most often melancholy is a results of the illness.”
Gold recalled a time when a examine participant began sobbing as she stuffed out her osteoporosis questionnaire. “It simply suggests how strongly it may possibly have an effect on you,” she stated.
Melancholy and osteoporosis
Some researchers suppose the connection between osteoporosis and melancholy can go each methods. As in, melancholy can be a danger issue for osteoporosis.
For one, analysis reveals melancholy can enhance cortisol (the stress hormone) within the physique, which might result in bone loss.
Therapy for melancholy may have an effect on bone well being. Some antidepressants have been linked to a rise in bone loss and larger danger of fracture. One overview discovered serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) had been related to a lower of bone mineral density. And an evaluation of 23 research discovered that melancholy was considerably related to bone loss and an elevated danger of fractures.
Gold famous that danger elements equivalent to smoking, sedentary way of life and poor weight loss program may contribute to each melancholy and osteoporosis.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis and melancholy
Though osteoporosis is a illness that may occur at any age, people who find themselves postmenopausal are at excessive danger.
Estrogen — and an absence of estrogen — has an influence in your bones as a result of estrogen performs an enormous function in sustaining bone construction. Throughout menopause, when estrogen ranges decline, your bones change into weaker. You’re most in danger for osteoporosis after menopause when estrogen ranges keep persistently low.
Fluctuating estrogen ranges that happen throughout the menopausal transition (perimenopause) additionally affect the mind. Along with temper modifications, analysis reveals a decline in estrogen impacts serotonin ranges — the texture good hormones — which might result in melancholy.
Learn: In an Getting older America, Osteoporosis Is a Looming Public Well being Disaster >>
Prevention and osteoporosis self-care
The connection between melancholy and osteoporosis is just like the rooster or the egg debate. Whereas analysis is ongoing, it’s a good suggestion to inform your healthcare supplier about your danger elements for each circumstances — particularly in the event you’re going by way of menopause.
“[Osteoporosis and depression] are each illnesses, they usually each might be handled,” Gold stated. “I believe, nonetheless, that for folks with out melancholy now, getting management over osteoporosis will assist them keep away from melancholy sooner or later as a result of osteoporosis makes you’re feeling like you haven’t any management anymore. And that is the type of factor that may result in melancholy.”
One strategy to hold osteoporosis at bay is thru weight loss program and getting the correct quantity of calcium and vitamin D. (Observe: Should you’re taking a calcium complement, take vitamin D together with it as a result of your physique wants vitamin D to soak up calcium.)
Weight-bearing train (low-impact aerobics, dancing, strolling, and many others.) can be essential for wholesome bones and muscle power. “Some folks hate it, however in the event you perceive how a lot it may possibly assist, you may put money into it extra,” Gold stated. Per science, one overview discovered that train was an efficient method to enhance bone mineral density in folks with osteoporosis.
Along with a nutritious diet and train, self-care choices for osteoporosis can embody:
- Quitting smoking
- Limiting alcohol
- Taking prescribed drugs for bone well being
- Safeguarding your house to stop falls
- Sustaining an energetic social life
Watch: Keep away from Falls in Your House >>
Each osteoporosis and melancholy ought to be evaluated individually by completely different healthcare suppliers. Discuss to your supplier about getting a bone density take a look at (DEXA scan) to examine your bones and methods to get screened for melancholy in the event you’ve observed modifications in your temper.
“You realize, like another illness, it’s as much as the person to take duty,” Gold stated. “And if ladies do not take duty for themselves and their issues — no person else will.”
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