Understanding Osteopenia vs. Osteoporosis!

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Osteopenia and osteoporosis are health problems associated with the strength of the bones. Osteopenia is often associated with lower BMD (bone mineral density), but this condition is not low enough to be categorized into osteoporosis. As the name implies, BMD is a measurement of the level or volume of mineral in the bones (how dense the bones are). In other words, the level of BMD can be used to describe how strong of the bones! -- You may also like to read about osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and best foods for healthy bone!

If you are diagnosed with osteopenia then it can be a warning sign that you are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis (a condition of very low level of BMD if compared to the normal peak BMD). In other words, it is the forerunner of osteoporosis -- if you have it and left untreated, there is a chance for you to also experience osteoporosis. 

What is actually osteopenia?

As we get older, bones become thinner naturally. The performance of the body to produce new bone cells naturally decreases with the age, and on the other hand there is continuously mechanism to absorb the existing bone cells in the body -- this eventually will make the bones lose more minerals!

The natural peak of BMD level in all people is usually at about 30 years of age. After the age of 30, the level of BMD is more likely to decrease, and this is the period when many people usually start losing their bone mass.

Other risk factors

After the age, other factors or conditions that will increase your risk of developing osteopenia may include:

1. Gender! Women are at higher risk than men, because the natural peak BMD level in women is typically lower than in men. Furthermore, women also experience more hormonal changes after menopause which can contribute to speed up the loss of bone.
2. Diet poor in the essential nutrients for bones, particularly such as vitamin D, calcium and protein. Having metabolism problems or eating disorders also can contribute to get less vitamins and minerals, which then can also put you at higher chance of having osteopenia!
3. Exposure to unfriendly radiation!
4. Having lack of physical activity!
5. Having a family history of osteoporosis.
6. Bad habits - particularly such as drinking excessively alcohol and cigarette smoking. Read also smoking side effects in men and women!
7. Being underweight (too thin).
8. And certain medications, particularly such as taking chemotherapy -- discuss more with a doctor for more in-depth information!

Fortunately, there are also some patients with osteopenia that just only experience a lower bone density, but they don’t have bone loss. However, this health problem must be concerned and treated as well -- otherwise there is a chance for you to get other serious health problems (particularly such as osteoporosis)!

Do people with osteopenia have symptoms? 

Unfortunately, in osteopenia, there is no any sign or symptom that appears when you have osteopenia, even there is no pain or changes that you notice when the bones become thinner. The only thing you can do is by taking a test to get to know the level of BMD of your bones.

But if you seriously care the health of your bones, there are also available a helpful home test kit that we call ‘FRAX’ - a helpful option developed by WHO (the World Health Organization)! FRAX is useful to analyze some risk factors that you have which then will give you a conclusion whether or not you have risk of developing bone fractures within the next ten years!

How about with osteoporosis?

As mentioned before, osteoporosis is more severe than osteopenia! It can be a serious problem to weaken your bones, which then put you at higher risk of getting unexpected & sudden fractures. Spine, wrist, and hip are some of the most common areas where the fractures from osteoporosis occur!

Like osteopenia, osteoporosis can affect both women and men of all races, but Asian and white women (particularly for those who are in their postmenopause (the phase after menopause)) are at highest risk!

How do you get osteoporosis?

Did you know that bones in the body are a kind of living tissue? They are constantly being absorbed & regenerated (replaced)! When the number of old bone removal is not equal or higher than the creation of new bone cells, then osetopenia and osteoporosis will occur.

In children and young adults, the production of new bone cells is naturally faster than the old bone cells that break down, and this is beneficial to increase the mass of bones. In many cases, people usually get their peak mass of their bone by the early of 20s -- and then bone mass loss is faster than it’s created in line with the age.

According to published article on MayoClinic, how much mass of bone that we got/attained in our youth will significantly influence on how likely we are to have osteoporosis! In other words, more peak bone mass that we attained -- the less likely we are to have osteoporosis as we get older.

Therefore, it’s important for children and young people to get adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium, and other essential nutrients to attain the optimal ‘peak bone mass’ in their youth! Don’t forget also to have a regular exercise and spend a little time in the sun (particularly in the morning)!

Who does osteoporosis affect?

There is a chance for anyone to develop osteoporosis, but there are some factors and conditions that can put you at higher risk than others! Most risk factors of osteopenia also can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis. These factors include lifestyle choices, dietary factors, levels of certain hormones in the body, and certain medical conditions.

Lifestyle choices (bad habits) that can put you at higher risk of developing osteoporosis include:

1. Cigarette smoking (tobacco use)! It’s clear that cigarette smoking is so bad for the health, including for the health of bone!
2. Excessively consuming alcohol! Some studies found that alcohol can affect the ability of the body to use/absorb the calcium. That’s why many experts believe that excessive alcohol consumption also can increase the risk of osteoporosis.
3. Less of physical activity! Weightlifting, dancing, running, and even walking are good options to create health bones. Therefore, if you seriously concern to the health of your bones, don’t forget to do your exercise regularly!

Factors associated with your dietary -- osteoporosis tends to occur in individuals who have:

1. Poor calcium in the dietary habits! As well we know that calcium is so essential for bones. Therefore, it’s reasonable that the risk of osteoporosis significantly increases in people who have a lifelong lack of calcium. 
2. Conditions that affect the body’s ability to absorb calcium. If you have ‘weight-loss surgery’ that reduces your stomach’s size, it may affect the ability of your body to absorb calcium. Furthermore, people with eating disorders (such as anorexia) are also at higher risk of developing osteoporosis, because they are more likely to have low essential nutrients intake.

Factors associated with the hormone levels, such as:

1. Sex hormones -- lowered levels of sex hormone are more likely to weaken bone! In women, the decreased level of estrogen during menopause and after menopause is one of major causes for developing osteoporosis. Some of cancer treatments also can lead to the reduction of estrogen in women, and can cause premature menopause in young women. In men, the level of their testosterone also gradually decreases as they age. Furthermore, some prostate cancer treatments in men also can decrease the level of their testosterone.
2. Having excessively thyroid hormone also can weaken bone! It can occur in people with an underactive thyroid who need to take extra thyroid hormone for the treatment. It also can occur when you have an overactive thyroid.

Some medications that may contribute in increasing the risk of developing osteoporosis include:

1. Long term use of cortisone, prednisone, or other corticosteroid medications.
2. Some medications to treat certain health problems, particularly such as cancer, depression, transplant injection, gastric reflux, and seizures. For more detailed information, talk with a doctor!

Moreover, there are also some unchangeable risk factors (out of your control), which include:

1. Age! Your risk increases as you get older.
2. Gender! In fact, once again osteoporosis is more common in women than in men.
3. If you have a family history of osteoporosis, you are more likely to have the same condition.
4. For adults who have small/thin body frames, because they may attain less bone mass in their youth.
5. Race, particularly for ‘White or Asian descent’!

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis? 

In the early stages of osteoporosis, there is almost no noticeable symptom! But once the disease has weakened the bones, some symptoms and signs may begin to be noticeable which may include:

1. Over time, you may experience lose of height.
2. You may also experience a stopped posture.
3. Collapsed/fractured vertebra which then usually followed with back pain.
4. Over time, a bone fracture may occur more easily, even much more easily than you think!

Prognosis for osteoporosis

According to the Osteoporosis Solutions and Therapy Organization -- most patients die due to other diseases, though osteoporosis also can increase the mortality rate. Furthermore, apart from the risk of complications and death, osteoporotic fractures also can affect the health-related quality of life.

Bone fractures, especially in the hip and vertebrae (spine) are the most serious complications of osteoporosis.

In fact, hip fracture is one of the most significantly factors that can increase the risk of death in some patients (particularly in elderly). Furthermore, there is also a chance for hip fracture to cause almost completely disabilities to mobilize. Some patients with severe hip fracture require total assistance to mobilize!

Vertebral fractures also should be concerned. Though it may result a smaller impact to the risk of death, but it can cause deformity and chronic neurogenic origin that can be difficult to control! 

And there is also a chance for patient to experience multiple vertebral fractures that can affect other internal organs. Fortunately, multiple vertebral fractures are rare in patients with osteoporosis.

Overall, it is so important for people with osteoporosis to get the right treatments. The goal of the treatment is very intended to stop /eliminate bone loss which then so helpful to decrease the risk of bone fractures.

You may also be interested to know can osteoporosis be reversed?

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Reference: WebMD and MayoClinic