According to the Osteoporosis Canada:
Osteoporosis: “a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences”. Peak bone mass is achieved at an early age (16-20 in young women and 20-25 in young men), so think of bone as a bank account where you “deposit” and “withdraw” bone tissue. During childhood and the teenage years, new bone is added to the skeleton faster than old bone is removed. As a result, bones become larger, heavier, and denser. For most people, bone formation continues at a faster pace than removal until bone mass peaks during the third decade of life.
After age 20, bone “withdrawals” can begin to exceed “deposits.” For many people, this bone loss can be prevented by continuing to get calcium, vitamin D, and exercise and by avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol use. Osteoporosis develops when bone removal occurs too quickly, replacement occurs too slowly, or both. You are more likely to develop osteoporosis if you did not reach your maximum peak bone mass during your bone-building years.
Bone is made mostly of collagen, bone is living, growing tissue. Collagen is a protein that provides a soft framework, and calcium phosphate is a mineral that adds strength and hardens the framework. This combination of collagen and calcium makes bone strong and flexible enough to withstand stress. More than 99 percent of the body’s calcium is contained in the bones and teeth. The remaining 1 percent is found in the blood.
Women are more likely than men to develop osteoporosis. This is because women generally have smaller, thinner bones than men. Also, women can lose bone tissue rapidly in the first 4 to 8 years after menopause due to the sharp decline in the production of the hormone estrogen.
Produced by the ovaries, estrogen has been shown to have a protective effect on bone. Women usually go through menopause between ages 45 and 55. After menopause, bone loss in women greatly exceeds that in men. However, by age 65, women and men tend to lose bone tissue at the same rate. Although men do not undergo the equivalent of menopause, production of the male hormone testosterone may decrease, and this can lead to increased bone loss and a greater risk of developing osteoporosis.
Maintaining and IMPROVING bone health is not just about calcium and vitamin D. Our comprehensive bone health program considers all the aspects of bone health from a functional and a structural point of view.
Our functional approach to bone health includes the following modalities implemented by one of our licensed Naturopathic Doctors, Holistic Nutritionists and our Virtual Personal Trainer:
We recommend requesting a baseline bone density scan from your MD.
Our bone health program, the first in of its kind in Ontario, includes:
