You're too young to be worried about osteoporosis, right? Wrong. Even in your 20's and 30's, you could be at risk for bone disease. With the help of calcium, you could prevent it.

Published in Oxygen Magazine

Kimberly Allan didn't know she was a candidate for bone disease. She walked 45-minutes a day on the treadmill, attended yoga classes twice a week, and took calcium supplements. She had never broken a bone in her life, but she was at high risk for developing osteoporosis. Although Allan was practicing a healthy lifestyle, she hadn't always taken care of her body, or her bones.

"I had anorexia when I was in high school," admits the Florida native. She didn't realize that depriving her body of food could affect her bones. Even in her twenties and early thirties, she never thought about the lack of calcium in her diet. Allan's attitude changed when her grandmother broke her hip. "I started taking calcium," she says, and she began to wonder about her own bone health. Still, Allan never imagined she was a contender for osteoporosis until January 2004, when she took a bone density test

"I thought it might be low, but I didn't think it would be as bad as it was," says Allan. Allan learned she had osteopenia- low bone mass. In Allan's case, her bone density was close to the level of osteoporosis, which is a 25% loss of bone, compared to a normal, healthy young adult "It was really a big shock," she says. Despite her history, she never imagined this could happen to her bones. She says, "People my age don't even think about it."

Something To Talk About

Actually, women of all ages have reason to think about osteoporosis. There are no warning signs, and no cure. The loss of bone tissue causes bones to become fragile over time and eventually lead to fractures. While osteoporosis is most common in postmenopausal women, it can also affect younger women. Findings from the 2004 Surgeon General's Report on Osteoporosis and Bone Health showed women can begin to suffer fractures related to osteoporosis as early as their 30's.

Young women need to know that low bone mass increases their risk, explains Dr. Larry Willis, Rheumatologist at the McBride Clinic and the Bone and Joint Hospital. "If you start at low bone mass at age 30, [by the time] you're 50 you're going to risk a fracture [similar to] someone at age 70," he says. "They should do something about it now to prevent problems in the future.

To help ensure your bones stay healthy for a lifetime, you need to care for them now. Dr. Kathy Shipp, assistant professor of community and family medicine at Duke University says, "Children, teenagers and young adults need to maximize their peak bone mass." At this age, you're developing bone mass and strength. In your 20's and 30's you reach peak bone mass - your bones have finished growing and your bone density is at its maximum. "You want to have all that bone in the bank by the time you hit menopause." In fact, once you reach menopause, you can start to lose between 1 to 3 percent of your bone mass per year for about 10 years.

Bone-Healthy Living

For building bone mass and maintaining healthy bones, exercise is vital. The 2004 Surgeon General's Report recommends adults get 30 minute of physical activity a day, especially weight bearing activity. Dianne Daniels, exercise physiologist and author of Exercise For Osteoporosis (Hatherleigh Press, 2000) explains that bone is like muscle in that it needs to be continually challenged. This makes resistance training ideal for bone health. "There is three major cites that tend to get osteoporosis: your wrists, your spine and your hip," she says, "So when you're doing weight training, you want to make sure you're covering those areas."

Bones also need food and calcium is essential. The recommended amount for women 18 to 50 is 1000 milligrams per day. Yet, according to the 2004 Women's Health and Nutrition paper by The American Dietetic Association, 75% of women do not meet current adequate intakes for calcium.

"It's not just calcium," adds Susan Moores, spokes person for ADA "There's a whole team of nutrients that build bone." This includes Vitamin D, which is needed to help the body absorb calcium. The daily recommended intake is 200 international units. Other helpers in bone health are Magnesium and Vitamin K.

Self Assessment

Finally, look at your own risk factors and discuss them with your family doctor. In addition to lack of calcium and vitamin D, there are other risk factors such as having a small frame, family history, estrogen deficiency and anorexia. Certain medications can also increase risk along with smoking and excessive drinking. The website for the National Osteoporosis Foundation, Nof.org, adds the personal history of fractures and missed periods to the list of factors. The earlier you're aware of your risks, the easier it is to prevent bone disease.

Kimberly Allan was fortunate enough to recognize her condition before breaking a bone. She now takes a medication to help prevent further bone loss. She also continues to exercise and live a healthy lifestyle for her body and her bones.