Knowing the causes of wellness conditions could help us to avoid getting them in the future, or spot them sooner rather than later so we get quicker treatment. Over our lifetime, the way we safeguard our wellbeing can change, with some of us getting better at looking after our health as we get older. But, conditions like osteoporosis can be affected by our wellness routines earlier in life, making it important to know how we can preserve bone density.
Role of hormones
Our bone density depends partly on the level of hormones – like oestrogen and testosterone – in our bodies. Female hormone oestrogen declines in women over time, although testosterone levels don’t dip too much in men. These chemicals help to lay down new bone cells, anything that affects these hormones could affect our bone health.
For example, rigid exercising and dieting that results in missed periods over six months could lead to bone changes that develop into osteoporosis. Heavy drinking can also affect hormones in men and women, linking it to the health condition. Women who have had an early menopause, or a hysterectomy in their mid-forties could also be at risk of getting osteoporosis. Problems with glands, including the pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands are also connected with the disorder.
Be aware
The side effects of some medicines can affect bone strength, such as corticosteroids, oral glucocortoids and drugs given for breast and prostate cancers. As well as keeping a lookout for drugs that can affect our bones, we can also look into our family history, because if we have relatives who suffered hip fractures then it might indicate osteoporosis is in our genes. Other health problems are also connected to the condition, like those affecting our uptake of nutrients, such as Crohn’s disease and coeliac disease.
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