Osteoporosis and Men

The US National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) has released a guidelines recommending a bone mineral density xray test for all men aged 70 and older as researches found out that this disease, previously believed to highly afflict women is common in both sexes as they age.

Nearly six percent of men over age 50 will suffer a hip fracture, and 20 to 25 percent of all hip fractures occur in men. There’s a recognition, more so now than in the past, that men are at risk,” says Jay Magaziner, MD, of the University of Maryland medical school, who has long researched hip fractures — osteoporosis’ most feared complication.

New Recommendations

In addition to routine bone check for older men, the new NOF guidelines recommend the following:

• Treat postmenopausal women and men 50 and older who have thinning bones, but are not osteoporotic yet, if they have at least a 20-percent risk of any major fracture in the next decade, or at least a three-percent risk of a hip fracture.

• Check for osteoporosis risk factors in postmenopausal women and men 50 and over, to see who needs a bone density test before their senior year.

• A bone density test is recommended for anyone who has any type of fracture after age 50 or who has conditions associated with bone loss, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

• For adults over 50, prescribe 1,200mg. a day of calcium and 800 to 1,000 IU a day of vitamin D. (Note that this is more vitamin D than the present recommendation.)

• Do regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises.