I believe everyone around us has had such an experience. Once an elderly person falls, they are particularly prone to fractures, and even many elderly people gradually die due to various complications as their physical condition deteriorates every day after falling. The reason why elderly people are prone to fractures is closely related to osteoporosis.

About 1/5 of osteoporosis patients die due to complications of fractures

In 2018, data released by the National Health Commission showed that the incidence of osteoporosis among women over 50 years old in China reached 32.1%, and the incidence rate among women over 60 years old exceeded half.

Director Li Jing, Chief Physician of the Department of Geriatrics at Beijing Hospital, stated that osteoporosis generally does not have obvious symptoms in the early stages. By the time symptoms such as fractures and bone pain appear and seek medical attention, the condition often has already developed very seriously.

After osteoporosis occurs, it is easy for patients to develop fragility fractures, which can seriously threaten the health of the elderly. Coughing or sneezing in daily life may cause fractures.

Once elderly people suffer from fractures, they are likely to need to stay in bed for a long time, which can lead to complications such as blood clots, infections, and pressure ulcers. This is also the reason why elderly people are prone to death after fractures, with about one-fifth of patients dying from complications after fractures.

Even elderly people who have not passed away may become disabled as a result, leading to a significant reduction in their quality of life in the future. Many people believe that the treatment of osteoporosis should be carried out through calcium supplementation. Is it feasible to supplement a large amount of calcium in daily life?

Is treating osteoporosis equivalent to supplementing calcium?

In fact, not all osteoporosis patients need to supplement calcium supplements. Calcium supplementation should be considered based on the patient's blood calcium and urine calcium levels, as well as the total calcium intake in the patient's daily diet.

However, some patients with hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria need to avoid using calcium supplements, as supplementing calcium for this group of people can have the opposite effect.

Some people with severe calcium deficiency can also be treated with other drugs when necessary, including bone resorption inhibitors such as calcitonin, bisphosphonates hydrochloride, and somatostatin monoclonal antibodies; Bone formation promoting drugs such as active vitamin K2 and parathyroid hormone; Strontium salts and other drugs that promote bone resorption while inhibiting bone formation.

But specific medication needs to be judged and selected by professional doctors based on the patient's specific situation, and blind medication should not be used in daily life.

The occurrence of osteoporosis is not necessarily inevitable, and there are some methods in daily life to help prevent its occurrence. Let's take a closer look.

Recommend 5 more effective preventive measures than calcium supplementation

1. Moderate supplementation of vitamin D

After entering the body, vitamin D can promote the absorption of calcium, so it is necessary to supplement sufficient vitamin D in daily life.

The sources of vitamin D include food and sunlight. Foods that are rich in vitamin D include sea fish, animal liver, eggs, etc. It is recommended to choose before 10am or after 3pm for daily exposure to sunlight, and to maintain a sun exposure time of about 30 minutes each time to avoid sunburn.

2. Moderate exercise to increase bone mass

Exercise is of great help in preventing osteoporosis. During exercise, our bones can receive benign stimulation. It can promote the growth of bone mass, and the loss of bone mass will be slower than that of the general population as people age. Exercise must be done gradually and within one's capacity, and attention should be paid to persisting in it for a long time.

3. Drink less beverages

Many young people nowadays enjoy drinking beverages such as coffee, carbonated drinks, and strong tea. Long term and excessive consumption of these beverages can inhibit the absorption of calcium in the body, leading to a significant loss of bone mass.

4. Quit smoking

Multiple studies have shown that smoking can inhibit the formation of bone peak and easily lead to abnormal decrease in bone density. It is recommended that people who have a smoking habit quit smoking as soon as possible. It is never too late to quit smoking, as it can bring significant benefits to the body.

5. Abstain from alcohol

It is well-known that drinking alcohol is detrimental to liver health, but few people know that it can also have a significant impact on bone health. Alcohol can cause the loss of minerals such as calcium and magnesium in the bones, which is very detrimental to bone metabolism.

Osteoporosis poses a great threat to people's health, so we should try our best to prevent its occurrence and not feel young. These preventive measures need to be taken by everyone from now on.