So many are aware due to media and school that women are the ones at risk of osteoporosis after a certain age (menopause) but so are men!  BOTH genders need to protect their bones.

It is estimated that 2 million men in America are with the diagnosis Osteoporosis with another 12 million who are at risk for the thinning bone disease.  Men develop osteoporosis are also likely to become disabled just like women or even die as a result of a hip fracture that leads into another complication like pneumonia with continuing on declining in their health to sepsis that takes over causing the death, for example.  Is there a way to prevent this, of course (like most diseases).

Even with these statistics present and available most men avoid the doctor or think of this disease as a women’s problem not a man’s, like prostate cancer.  Well guess what gentlemen, it might just be that time for you to address this as a concern in your daily living for prevention which in this case starts now at any age.  The key word is PREVENTION to never have to deal with it or lower your risks at a high number to make it almost extinct in being ever diagnosed with it.

There are risk factors for men in developing Osteoporosis:

 Many of the same risk factors that affect women apply to men, too, but men also face some unique challenges. Let’s get into specifics:

Matthew Drake, MD, PhD an endocrinologist, assistant professor of medicine, and male osteoporosis researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. used as my reliable reference shows these as factors for men regarding osteoporosis:

Age. For starters in understanding how good bone production works or how your bone stays strong is this, the bone is constantly being removed, reabsorbed, and rebuilt in the body.  This bone remodeling process is balanced, for the most part, until age 50. After that, he said, the amount of bone being reabsorbed into the body exceeds the amount being put back, leading to thinning, weakened bones.  “The main risk for bone osteoporosis is simply getting older,” Dr. Drake said. “Beyond the age of 50, men begin to steadily lose bone at rate of about 0.5 to 1 percent per year.”

Drake added that part of the reason osteoporosis is less common in men is because they don’t go through menopause and the accompanying rapid rate of  bone loss due to declining estrogen levels.   Instead, men tend to develop osteoporosis about 8 to 10 years later than women. He said there isn’t much that men can do about the age-related decline in testosterone levels associated with bone health. Testosterone supplementation is not recommended unless testosterone levels are very low.  Though you can help yourself with other supplements like.

 Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D?  Calcium and vitamin D play a critical role in bone health. Calcium is a mineral essential to building strong bones, and vitamin D helps the body absorb the calcium in your diet. Men older than 50 need about 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium each day. Good sources of calcium include milk and other dairy products as well as fortified orange juice and cereals.  Always remember if you are already diagnosed with a disease or illness check with your doctor to make sure the change you add to your life is safe with what ever diagnosis you already have (ex. Hypercalcemia).

 *If you don’t get enough calcium through your diet, you may need to take a supplement. Spread out your doses throughout the day to avoid taking more than 500 mg of calcium at one time. If you take too much at once, it may overwhelm the body’s ability to absorb it effectively, Drake said.

*Your skin makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but most people don’t get enough that way, often because of spending too much time indoors or using sunscreen. Men 50 to 69 years old need about 800 to 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D every day. You might benefit from taking either a calcium supplement with vitamin D or a separate vitamin D supplement.

 Not getting enough exercise. Try to get in at least 30 minutes a day. Exercises that make you work against gravity, called weight-bearing exercises — like walking, jogging, basketball, soccer, and hiking.  Help maintain bone health.   Your bones support the weight of your body during these types of exercises, which keeps them strong.

Smoking. The use of tobacco is directly linked to decreased bone density.

Drinking too much alcohol. Overindulging can speed up bone loss. Drake recommended men drink no more than two alcoholic drinks a day to protect their bones.

 Taking certain medications. Many common medical conditions and the medicines used to treat them can cause bone loss. Included are depression, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and drugs like steroids and some medications used to treat heartburn and cancer.

 Again, Talk to your doctor about the various medications you’re taking for diseases or illnesses, find out how the meds may affect your bones, and what precautions you can take to reduce your risk of osteoporosis.