Don't let a broken bone be your first warning sign of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes your bones to become thin and weak. More than 28 million Americans have osteoporosis and each year at least 1.5 million broken bones happen because of the disease. There are no symptoms until a bone finally breaks.

One out of every two women and one out of every eight men over 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis.

Of those that break a hip, 26% never walk again and nearly 1 in 4 die within 1 year.

We reach "peak bone mass" at around age 30. Beyond this age, we lose 0.5-1% of bone mass per year, until menopause in women, when the rate of decline can reach 5% per year (10 times as fast!)

After age 60, men and women lose bone mass at the same rate.

The good news, is, osteoporosis can be prevented!

• Eating calcium-rich foods
• Taking calcium supplements daily
• Limiting alcohol
• Limiting caffeine
• Limiting carbonated beverages
• Getting weight-bearing exercise - like walking
• Getting your bone density tested

We can help! Meadow Lane Pharmacy offers a quick way of screening for osteoporosis. We utilize an ultrasound device to check the bone density of your heel, which has been shown to correlate very well with your bone density in other areas of the body. There is no radiation involved and it is completely painless, and takes only 2 minutes. We will discuss your risk for developing a fracture due to osteoporosis, and will refer you to your doctor for more extensive testing if appropriate. Call for anappointment today to get your bone mineral density checked.

Meadow Lane Pharmacy offers a personalized, customized program designed to evaluate the patient's risk for osteoporosis. The patient will learn ways to prevent the ravages of osteoporosis in later life. These include the effects of diet, smoking, exercise, calcium supplements, and prescription drugs. Since osteoporosis is not a one-size-fits-all disease, the information and evaluation are customized to fit the particular needs of each individual patient.

With Meadow Lane Pharmacy's unique one-on-one approach, the patient meets with a pharmacist certified in osteoporosis education and evaluation. The private session allows the patient to progress at his or her own pace, and to ask questions at any time. This is often not possible in programs provided in large classroom settings.

The patient's doctor is provided with a report following each session. This allows the doctor to consider therapy changes in a timely manner, rather than delaying changes until some future doctor's appointment.

 Risk Factors for Developing Osteoporosis:

Female
Caucasian or Asian race
Age over 45
Family history of osteoporosis
Estrogen deficiency
Smoking
Alcoholism
Lack of weight-bearing exercise
Poor nutrition, low dietary calcium
Taking steroids (e.g. prednisone)

 The amount of bone in the body (bone mass) reaches a peak around age 30. Thereafter it gradually declines. It is important to get plenty of calcium in the early years to increase the peak bone mass achieved. The gradual decline will be less likely to lead to a fracture in those with greater peak bone mass. The amount of calcium recommended varies:

Children 1-5 yr 800 mg calcium/day
Children 6-10 yr 800-1200 mg calcium/day
Women 11-24 yr 1200-1500 mg calcium/day (and pregnant or nursing of any age)
Women 25-50yr 1000 mg calcium/day (and premenopausal)
Women over 50 or postmenopause: 1000mg calcium/day if taking estrogen; 1500mg calcium/day if not taking estrogen
Women over 65 1500 mg calcium/day
Men 11-24 yr 1200-1500mg calcium/day
Men 25-65 yr 1000 mg calcium/day
Men over 65 yr 1500 mg/calcium/day

Sources of Calcium

Calcium Hydroxyapatite – Best absorbed source of calcium; provides 24% elemental calcium; also contains other essential components of bone: phosphorous, zinc, strontium, silicon, iron, proteins, peptides, amino acids and glycosaminoglycans. Brand names include OsteoFormula, Osteo Guard, Osteo Shield, and Bone Maximizer.

Calcium Carbonate – Should be taken with meals. Provides 40% elemental calcium. Most cost-effective supplement, highest percentage of elemental calcium. May cause constipation or gas. Minimize by gradually increasing dosage, getting plenty of fluids and exercise, and taking stool softeners and/or simethicone. Brand names include OsCal, Caltrate, Tums, Viactive

Calcium Citrate – Can be taken any time without regard to food; provides 21% elemental calcium; easily absorbed; Disadvantages – relatively lower percent of elemental calcium, necessitating more tablets to attain same level of calcium Common brand name: Citracal

Calcium Phosphate – Can be taken anytime. Provides 29% elemental calcium; easily dissolved and fair-absorbed, should not cause gas or constipation. Some people are already high in phosphate and should avoid. Common brand name: Posture

With any calcium, our bodies can only absorb 500-600mg calcium at any one time. It is best to take it several times throughout the day, and not at the same time as dietary sources of calcium (e.g. breakfast). Since our bodies need calcium 24hours a day, it is best to spread it out.

Vitamin D is important to ensure absorption of calcium. Some calcium supplements contain vitamin D, as do most multivitamins. If you already take a multivitamin, purchase calcium that does not add more, since we can get too much vitamin D. For most people, spending 15 minutes in the sunshine will allow the body to manufacture all the vitamin D required. Avoid taking over 800-1000 IU per day.

Dietary sources of calcium:

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Other methods of preventing osteoporosis include several prescription drugs

Hormone replacement (estrogen with or without progestin), Evista
Calcitonin salmon (Miacalcin nasal spray); also an injectable form
Vitamin D
Fosamax, Actonel, Forteo

 Prescription drugs can have side effects and interact with other drugs. Call or e-mail us for specific questions about them.