Have you been associating osteoporosis only with women, here is a shocker for you!!
The fact is that men are also equally prone for osteoporosis issues in their later stages of their lives. Men who are more than the age of 50 are at risk of this bone based issue in them without even knowing it. It is said that low levels of testosterone in men after the age of 50 could lead to osteoporosis problems.
It was brought out by a famous Dr. Vineesh Mathur, director of Orthopaedics, Medanta, Gurugram that bone loss occurs in a silent way in men. He mentioned that fracture would be the first indication for osteoporosis in men. Not many know that recovering from bone fractures takes a longer time for men when compared to women. Ageing is associated with the decrease in the testosterone levels in men and this causes fractures in them.
Link between testosterone levels and bone strength:
Not only for muscle strength or libido etc, testosterone levels are important but it is important for bone health too. What testosterone does is that it would promote new bone development and slow down the breaking of existing bones. Bone loss in men would be accelerated by reduced testosterone levels and there could be increased risk of hip, wrists and spine fractures in them.
Hypogonadism or low testosterone levels can be due to many reasons such as performance enhancing drugs, gradual age related decline, chronic health issues, certain medications like steroids, diseases like diabetes etc. Majority of men tend to overlook signs like fatigue, loss of muscle strength, decreased libido, fracture from minor fall etc. These signs are mostly attributed to normal ageing.
Men mustn`t ignore these warning signs:
There are certain warning signs in men that would indicate the osteoporosis issue in them. These are persistent back pain, gradual loss of height, poor posture, unexplained fractures etc. The men must not ignore these signs and they must discuss with the doctor or an orthopaedician.
How to prevent or manage osteoporosis in men?
It is superb to note that osteoporosis could be prevented effectively or managed well in males. Men would be able to avoid osteoporosis issues in them by means of regular physical activity, especially weight bearing exercises. Men must consume a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D etc to avoid this bone issue. Finally, by quitting smoking and alcohol, men could avoid or manage osteoporosis in them.
If the bone loss is due to low testosterone levels, then hormone therapy could provide a suitable solution for them. It is noteworthy that hormone therapy is not suitable for everyone and must be pursued only under medical supervision. The stereotype regarding osteoporosis can only occur in females must be changed first. Even males are equally at risk of getting this bone issue in them and the outcomes can be just as severe. Point is that men must not wait for the fall to realise that something is not right with them.