Osteoporosis

 In osteoporosis, a condition in which the bone substance or matrix is depleted, the bones become thin and weakened. Normally a balance exist between the minerals entering and leaving the bones. When loss is greater than retention, demineralization occurs and osteoporosis develops.
  Osteoporosis occurs in certain types of malnutrition, vitamin C deficiency, calcium deficiency, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and conditions of excess adrenal cortical hormones. Causitive factors include lack of estrogen, especially in women after menopause, cortisone therapy, aging, and lack of exercise.
  Osteoporosis generally produces no symptoms. Height may gradually decrease as the vertebrae weaken and compress, and the individual becomes increasingly stooped. Back ache is also fairly common, and pain become severe when a compression fracture occurs in a vertebrae as it collapses, or when a hip or arm fractures.

What you can do. Regular exercise and a nutritious diet adequate in calcium and vitamin C and low in protein  (high protein intake increases calcium loss) provide both prevention and cure. Sunshine will provide vitamin D (take a supplement if sunlight is not available), which will aid in calcium absorption. Increasing calcium intake alone will not reverse the problem. Many postmenopausal women do not get enough calcium, and so may need a calcium supplement.

What your physician can do. He will try to find and treat any underlying cause, and by means of laboratory test and x-rays determine the extent of your osteoporosis. If you are a woman past menopause, he may recommend estrogen therapy.