BONE AND JOINT HEALTH
Problem is SILENT until the first fracture occurs.
Source : SingHealth, https://www.singhealth.com.sg/patient-care/conditions-treatments/osteoporosis/symptoms
Osteoporosis is a disease whereby bones become weak, brittle, and prone to fracture. It is a serious problem, especially for the elderly and women.
Women tend to have smaller and thinner bones than men. And when women reach menopause, their levels of estrogen (a hormone in women that protects bones) decrease sharply, causing bone loss and increasing their risk of osteoporosis.
Weak bones are more likely to break at the hip, spine, or wrist. About 20% of older people who break a hip die within a year from the complications from the fracture itself, or from the surgery required to repair it. Many require long-term nursing home care.
Will taking Calcium Pills help me prevent Osteoporosis?
The U.S. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommends a daily intake of 1,000 mg to 1,200 mg of calcium for adults.
An analysis published in the medical journal BMJ showed that taking calcium supplements only increased bone density by about 0.6% to 1.8% after one year—an amount too low to affect fracture risk.
Are Calcium Pills Safe ?
Research shows that calcium pills may cause more harm than good.
An analysis of trials totaling 12,000 people, also published in the British Medical Journal, shows that taking 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium supplements doesn’t reduce the risk of fractures. What’s more, those who took calcium pills actually increased their risk of a heart attack by about 30%!
Calcium pills may also harm your eyes. The Scientific American has reported that calcium pills could increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease that is a leading cause of vision loss in older people in developed countries.
How about Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplements ?
"Glucosamine and chondroitin, two supplements taken by millions of people around the world for joint pain, do not work, says a study by Swiss scientists.
In a review of trials involving 3,803 patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis, the Swiss researchers found that there was 'no clinically relevant effect' of chondroitin, glucosamine, or the two in combination on perceived joint pain."
(Source : 18-Sep-2010 (Sat) Prime News, The Straits Times , Singapore)
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