Treatment

These measures have preventive functions as well as being used as an acute treatment and are advised to osteoporosis patients and those at high risk. The aim is to stabilize the bone to prevent bone fractures. Effects can already be seen after a couple of months.

• Physical activity: Going for a walk everyday for half an hour. E.g. Nordic walking has proven to be sufficient to stabilize the bone foundation and the body's own coordination to prevent clumsy falling. Best way of building up a strong bone structure is by starting with sports in early age.

• Healthy Weight: Underweight increases the risk of getting osteoporosis. Unclear weight loss should be taken serious. Muscles have to build up and a healthy weight should be stabilized.

• Fall Prevention: Causes for falling should be investigated on in order to minimize future falls which endanger the brittle bones. One possibility is to look upon the patient's medication for agents which could be responsible for enhancing the falling, such as sedatives, and to exclude them.

• Calcium and Vitamin D: Calcium is the essential element which keeps the bones sturdy and strong. Therefore a daily dose of 1, 2-1, 5 gramm is needed. An insufficient calcium supply causes the bones to become brittle and weak. The job of vitamin D is to guarantee the absorbance of calcium when it reaches the intestine. Especially elderly people over the age of 70 have problems accumulating the necessary daily calcium dosage through food. Calcium supplements (e.g. effervescent tablets) are advisable. In general high calcium foods are for example dairy products, fruits, vegetables, whole wheat and fish. To guarantee the fullest intake of calcium from these foods enough vitamin D has to be produced by the body, which only happens when the body is exposed to 30-45 minutes sunlight daily. Since people advanced in age are mainly bound to stay at home and are not set out to enough sunlight, a vitamin D supplement therapy is advised.

• Smoking, Alcohol: The bones of smokers are more sensitive towards fractures than non-smokers´. By which amount of cigarettes the risk increases is still unclear. It is best to fully stop smoking. The intake of alcohol should also be restricted. More than 30 gramm of alcohol daily enhances the occurrence of bone fractures.