Got brittle bones?

Osteopenia, the stage before osteoporosis, features mildly reduced bone density.

Osteoporosis is a more advanced condition, with significantly reduced bone density, leading to a high risk of fractures.

Osteoporosis is more common in women, especially postmenopausal women, with an estimated 1 in 2 over 50 experiencing an osteoporosis-related fracture. Whereas, about 1 in 4 men over the age of 50 will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture.

Osteopenia risks the progression towards osteoporosis, and people need to be vigilant about bone health to prevent further bone loss.

While the risk of fractures is lower compared to osteoporosis, people with osteopenia are still at an increased risk of fractures.

The lack of symptoms can cause people to be unaware, however, until they have a break or a detection scan. Get checked!

Osteoporosis, on the other hand, significantly increases the risk of fractures, even from minor falls or everyday activities. These are most commonly seen in the spine, hip, and wrist. Fractures can lead to chronic pain, disability, and reduced quality of life.

Fear of fractures, and their impact on mobility and independence, can affect mental well-being.

But both conditions highlight the importance of bone health, and early intervention.

Most people have enough calcium in their diet, but they may not be breaking it down or absorbing it. This can be due to low stomach acid. So gut healthy is vital.

Strategies such as weight-bearing exercise, adequate vitamin D intake through diet and supplementation healing your gut, and lifestyle modifications can be important too in managing and preventing both conditions.