All sources are in agreement that getting enough calcium, magnesium, and Vitamin D combined with proper exercise is necessary to prevent osteoporosis. Even once you have a diagnosis, these factors will help decrease your liklihood of fracture and prevent further bone loss. On the medication front, biphosphonates such as Fosomax and Actonel have been shown to increase bone density and reverse bone loss. Our bones hold 99% of our body's total calcium. If we do not ingest enough calcium to assist the bone remodeling process our system takes it out of the bones themselves. Therefore, adults over 50 should take 1200-1500 mg of calcium per day along with 600-750 mg of magnesium and 400-600 mg of Vitamin D to assist absorption. As our bodies do not hold on to the calcium we don't use, it is better to spread your calcium supplements over the course of the day. And always take your pills with 8 ounces of water.
In addition to nutrition and medication, the best thing we can do for our bones is exercise on them in standing and in spinal extension. Avoid spinal fexion (forward bending). Wolff's law states that bone becomes stronger in response to increased stress i.e., exercise. Weight bearing activities such as walking and dancing are done upright and require our bones to fully resist the forces of gravity. Maintenance of this density is accomplished by long term routine loading on our bones, which will revert to pre-training density when exercise is discontinued.
» left by Sheri (1 year 233 days ago.)
Has there been documented research following patients with osteoporsis and osteopenia actually showing that these exercises are causing either 1) injury during the movements or 2) further bone breakdown faster than those that aren't doing exercise or 3) more fractures outside of class then those that don't do exercise?
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