26-03-2012, 03:29 PM
OSTEOPOROSIS DAY
OSTEOPOROSIS DAY.docx (Size: 106.42 KB / Downloads: 41)
Pune: Post-menopausal women are vulnerable to osteoporosis, but a disturbing trend shows that a sizable number of the city's young blood, mostly in their thirties, is being diagnosed with osteomalacia— a condition where the bones become weak and softer than normal.
Doctors put the incidence of osteomalacia at 10 to 15 % among orthopaedic patients in Pune. These are patients who need to know about calcium and vitamin D deficiency which can lead to osteomalacia. Leaving it untreated may pose serious threat of developing osteoporosis quite early in life, the experts said.
“Both Vitamin D and dietary calcium intake is very low in our population. Increase in s m o k i n g habits, and a sedentary lifestyle are other reasons for sudden increase in cases of osteomalacia in the last few years,” said orthopaedic surgeon Abhay Kulkarni of Sahyadri Speciality Hospital.
“In osteomalacia, there is decrease in the quality of bones. In osteoporosis, there is decrease of both quality and quantity of bones. Therefore, people with osteomalacia can develop osteoporosis very early in life if the condition is not diagnosed and treated on time,” he added.
However, precautions need to be taken very early in life, even before your teens. This includes a regular exercise regime and eating food properly supplemented with calcium and Vitamin D, Kulkarni said. The general symptoms of osteomalacia include tiredness, muscle aches, bone aches, lack of enthusiasm and muscle cramps.
Orthopaedic surgeon Ramesh Ranka of Ranka Hospital in Mukundnagar said, “The reasons for high incidence of osteomalacia in city's young population is sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcoholism, lack of exercise, diabetes and other medical problems.”
Prevention is the best solution because when osteomalacia progresses to osteoporosis, treatment is rather lengthy. “Osteoporosis is associated with morbidity and is the most common cause of complicated life-threatening fractures in the elderly. The numbers are definitely increasing, but we have to track symptoms of osteomalacia that is found in youngsters so that it does not progress to osteoporosis,” Ranka said.
Orthopaedic surgeon Nikhil Likhate attributed the problem to vitamin D deficiency in adults. “When it occurs in children it is called rickets. While osteoporosis is the problems of bone mineral density (combination of bone collagen, calcium and phosphate), untreated osteomalacia may end up in osteoporosis,” he said.
Likhate said, “Peak bone mass in human life attains its highest development in the 20s and 30s. After this, there is only loss of bone density for the rest of one's life. Hence, prevention should start in the early 20s and 30s. Yo u n g - s t e r s must jog, cycle, run, brisk walk and take proper nutritional diet instead of junk food.”
Studies show that the average dietary calcium intake in India is around 350 mg in urban and 275 mg in rural populations where the minimum requirement is 1,000 mg per day.
Soybean, nachani, rajgira, milk, milk products, sprouts, green leafy vegetable are main sources of calcium and proteins in a vegetarian diet. Egg white, fish, chicken are other good sources of proteins and calcium. Natural sources of calcium are much better than chemically produced supplements. The body has an inherent mechanism to differentiate the two. Hence, a balanced diet is usually advisable.
“Our earlier study had shown that a sizable number of people in the city have vitamin D deficiency,” said pathologist Avanti Golwilkar-Mehendale. Often called the sunshine vitamin, Vitamin D is sourced from the ultraviolet rays of the sun and is necessary for strong bones.
Orthopaedic and joint replacement surgeon Surendra Patil said, “We are a tropical country with abundant sunlight and should not have vitamin D3 deficiencies. But not many urban Indians are exposed to sunlight because we spend most of our time inside a car, office or house. We require at least 30 minutes of sunlight on the hands, arms and the face to produce adequate amount of vitamin D.”
There are two types of vitamin D vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. In humans, Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol ) is converted from cholesterol when the ultraviolet rays hit the skins cells. Vitamin D3 must be broken down first by the liver and then by the kidneys and converted into vitamin D (calcitriol).
“The minimum daily intake of vitamin D should be around 800 to 1,000 IU. Parents should encourage kids to play outdoors and get exposed to sunlight. Adults too should understand the importance of exposure to sunlight,” said Sharad Agarkhedkar, president of the city chapter of Indian Medical Association.