More About Male Osteoporosis

Diagnosis

In males, osteoporosis is often times is undiagnosed and overlooked. That is why it is important to let your physician know if you notice a change in posture, loss of height or sudden back pain. To diagnose osteoporosis, your physician will order a DEXA screening – which is a specialized X-ray that measures your bone mass. Additionally, your physician will conduct a complete medical exam to identify risk factors; i.e. medial history, physical exam, urine and blood tests.

Prevention

Some risk factors for osteoporosis are unavoidable, but the good news is many can be controlled. The following identifies a few key recommendations to help prevent and treat osteoporosis:

1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle; no smoking, exercise, a nutritional diet and minimal alcohol use.

2. Exercise! Weight-bearing exercise is important. Weight-bearing exercises are those activities where bone and muscles work against gravity. Popular weight-bearing exercises include walking, jogging and tennis/racquet ball. Also weight lifting is good. Be sure to talk to your physician before starting an exercise program.

3. Regular check-ups. Routine medical examinations help your physician to identify any underlying medical conditions that can affect bone health.

4. Adequate levels of calcium and Vitamin D. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that men under 50 years of age get 1,000 mg of calcium daily, and for over 50 years old 1,200 mgs. Additionally, it is recommended that men under 50 get 800-1,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day and over 50 years of age, 800 – 1,000 IU. Note: Vitamin D3 is an active form of vitamin D.