| The cause of osteopenia can be family history | | | | - Low stomach acidity- which may inhibit calcium |
| (genetics), lifestyle, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, | | | | absorption |
| medication...or a combination of any of these factors. | | | | - Drinking more than 3 cups of caffeinated beverages |
| Not everyone with osteopenia will develop | | | | daily (coffee, tea, soda) |
| osteoporosis. Further bone loss can be halted through | | | | PHYSICAL ACTIVITY |
| a variety of natural remedies. | | | | - Lack of weight-bearing exercise (walking, tai-chi, |
| Osteopenia is a condition of lower than normal bone | | | | dancing, weight lifting) for at least 30 minutes daily |
| mineral density (BMD) that may be a precursor of | | | | - Physical inactivity for prolonged periods of time |
| osteoporosis. The condition is identified through a | | | | HEALTH |
| bone density test (DXA or DEXA) resulting in a bone | | | | - Removal of ovaries |
| mineral density T score. The accepted guideline for T | | | | - Early menopause (before age 45) |
| scores is: | | | | - Amenorrhea (loss of menstrual periods for at least |
| - Osteopenia: between -1 and -2.5 | | | | six months) |
| - Osteoporosis: lower than -2.5 | | | | - Low stomach acid (common after age 50) |
| Small-boned, lightweight people are at particular risk | | | | - Excess parathyroid hormones |
| of developing osteopenia and studies suggest that | | | | MEDICATIONS |
| women weighing less than 130 pounds and men | | | | - Some medications inhibit calcium absorption and can |
| weighing less than 150 pounds are more susceptible | | | | be a cause of osteopenia. |
| to developing osteoporosis. Weight and bone-size are | | | | It is natural to lose bone density as we age. Women |
| not the only risk factors, however. All of the | | | | lose approximately 50 percent of their trabecular |
| following elements can be a cause of osteopenia: | | | | bone (spongy tissue that fills the inner cavity of long |
| HEREDITY | | | | bones) and 30 percent of their cortical bone (hard |
| - Family history of osteoporosis | | | | tissue that forms the surface of bones) over the |
| - Being thin or small boned | | | | course of their lifetime. Bone loss can begin around |
| - Being female | | | | age 35 but accelerates after menopause. The first |
| - Being Caucasian or Asian | | | | five to seven years after menopause is a common |
| LIFESTYLE | | | | cause of osteopenia, as the loss of estrogen and |
| - Smoking | | | | progesterone accelerates bone loss. Rapid bone loss |
| - Drinking more than 2 alcoholic beverages a day | | | | affects men about ten years later than it affects |
| NUTRITION | | | | women...unless they have a high-risk lifestyle or use |
| - Low intake of milk and dairy products | | | | medications that inhibit calcium absorption. |
| - Diet lacking foods that contain good sources of | | | | Fortunately, research shows that proper diet, |
| calcium (such as broccoli, kale or salmon with bones) | | | | supplements, exercise and sometimes medication can |
| - Excessive meat consumption | | | | halt and even reverse osteopenia. |