Can osteoporosis be cured?

Osteoporosis can’t be cured, so it’s very important to take steps to prevent the disease in the first place. If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, your doctor can prescribe medications that, if taken regularly along with a proper diet and exercise, can be instrumental in both preventing more bone loss and increasing bone density.

Prevention

Exercise: particularly weight bearing and resistance activities and also aerobic activities such as walking and jogging are important.

Lifestyle: stop smoking, limit alcohol use, eat a healthy balanced diet, limit caffeine intake, and moderate sunshine exposure is essential. Address all risk factors.

Testing Bone Density: Having your bone density checked is an easy and painless test that takes only a few minutes. For more information on taking the test, please click here.

What medications are available for osteoporosis?

Women with decreased estrogen levels, as a result of either surgical or natural menopause, should, in consultation with their physician, discuss the risks and benefits associated with other medical therapies in addition to the steps recommended below. The risks/ benefits of each of these therapies are not easily delineated and depend on an individual’s current condition and medical history.

Calcium Recommendations

Vitamin D aids the body in the absorbtion of calcium which is very important as the body will take the calcium it needs from our bones if it isn’t absorbing enough. Our skin produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun, however our body’s ability to produce vitamin D reduces with age and it is therefore recommended to take between 400 and 1000 IU of vitamin D daily. We can also obtain vitamin D from certain foods such as egg yolks, fortified dairy products, saltwater fish and liver.

Mineral Recommendations

• Vitamin D (1000 IU)
• Magnesium (280 - 400mg)
• Zinc 12mg
• Boron
• Copper
• Manganese
• Silicon
• Folic Acid
• Vitamin K2
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin C