5 steps for prevention

Building strong bones throughout your lifetime will enable you to continue doing the things you enjoy for longer. It will also help you live independently, free of the pain and suffering caused by broken bones.

There are many actions that you can take to prevent and control osteoporosis. Take charge of your bone health today. Click on the links below to learn more:

1 Regular Exercise

Regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises are beneficial at all ages and important for maintaining strong bones and muscles. Examples include:

Moderate impact weight-bearing

High impact weight-bearing

jogging

hiking

brisk walking

stair climbing

50 jumps or
rope skipping

related impact
loading sports:
e.g. racquet sports

Weight bearing exercises should be performed for at least 30 minutes, 3-5 days per week.

Moderate impact weight-bearing				High impact weight-bearing
jogging	hiking	brisk walking	stair climbing	50 jumps or rope skipping	related impact loading sports: e.g. racquet sports
Weight bearing exercises should be performed for at least 30 minutes, 3-5 days per week.

Muscle-strengthening or resistance exercises

For maximum benefits the programme should be high intensity and become progressively more challenging over time. Don’t forget to target the major muscles around the hip and spine. Examples include:

weight lifting

using elastic
exercise bands

using weight machines

lifting your own
body weight

standing & rising
on your toes

Muscle-strenghtening exercises should be performed at least 2 days per week.

As you age you need to ensure that the exercise is appropriate to your level of fitness. If you have osteoporosis or spinal fractures you need to be cautious when doing activities that could lead to injury and you should have professional guidance when setting up a regular fitness routine.

2 Bone healthy nutrients

Don’t let this ‘silent’ disease eat up your bones

Sufficient calcium, vitamin D and protein are essential for your bone and muscle health. Dairy foods such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese, have the highest amounts of calcium and also contain protein and other minerals that are good for bones. Calcium is also contained in certain fruits and green vegetables (e.g. kale, broccoli, apricots) and in canned fish with bones (sardines). If available, take advantage of foods fortified with calcium. While dietary calcium is best, some people may need to take supplements if they can’t achieve their daily calcium goals from food alone. Calcium supplements should however be limited to 500–600 mg per day and it is generally recommended that they be taken combined with vitamin D.

Calcium requirements in males

19-70 years	70+ years	10-18 years
1000 mg/day	1200 mg/day	1300 mg/day
Recommended daily calcium intake varies country to country, but all health authorities recognize the need for increased calcium intake in older adults. *SOURCE:* Institute of Medicine of the US National Academy of Sciences (2010)

Most of the vitamin D in the body is produced from exposure of the skin to sunlight. However, depending on where you live, you may not be able to get enough vitamin D from safe exposure to sunlight alone. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in foods (e.g. egg yolk, salmon and tuna), and can also be found in foods fortified with vitamin D.

The Institute of Medicine recommends 600 IU/day of vitamin D intake for men and women aged up to 70 years. IOF vitamin D recommendations for fall and fracture prevention are 800–1000 IU/day for men and women aged 60 years and over.

Get your daily dose of calcium

Make dairy foods your friend:

1 yoghurt or a glass of milk ca. ¼ of your daily calcium requirements
1 large milkshake ca. of your daily calcium requirement
Cheeses are rich in calcium – especially parmesan, cheddar and mozzarella
A bowl of cereal with milk is a good breakfast option
Boost your intake by choosing Caffè Latte instead of regular coffee

3 Avoid negative lifestyle habits

Stop smoking:

it has been shown to raise fracture risk substantially.

Reduce alcohol intake:

while a daily glass or two of wine or beer won’t impact on your bone health, more than two units of alcohol can raise your fracture risk substantially.

Maintain a healthy weight:

if you are underweight (BMI <20) you are at increased risk of fracture.

Smoking increases your risk of breaking a bone by 29% and suffering a hip fracture by 68%

4 Identify your risk factors

Talk to your doctor

Be aware of any risk factors that can make you a candidate for osteoporosis and fractures. As shown earlier, there are many different factors that can place you at risk. There are many different factors that can place you at risk. Take the IOF One Minute Risk Test to see whether you have any possible risk factors.

Statistics from the UK, USA and Australia show that men are between 20-25% less likely than women to visit a doctor. Don’t avoid your check up. Talk to your doctor about bone health and ask whether you should have a BMD test and/or FRAX® risk assessment test.

“Women have a much healthier relationship with their bodies. They see it as a question of maintenance, whereas men see it as a question of repair. Men treat their bodies a bit like a car: once it’s burnt out they’ll fix it, but until then they power on.”

-Men's Health Magazine

5 Take osteoporosis medicine if prescribed

There are many proven treatments that can help improve BMD and reduce your risk of fractures. Common treatments for men include:

Bisphosphonates: alendronate, risedronate
Intravenous bisphosphonates: ibandronate, pamidronate, zoledronic acid

Other treatment types include:

Denosumab: human monoclonal antibody
Teriparatide: an anabolic agent
Strontium ranelate

Testosterone therapy for osteoporosis is effective in men with androgen deficiency. Not all medications are approved in all countries.

Adhere to your treatment

Make sure you comply with your prescribed treatment regimen and if you’re concerned about any side effects, speak to your doctor.

Because the benefits of treatment are not always evident, many patients stop taking their medication – don’t let that happen to you. By continuing on treatment you can protect your bones and avoid damaging and potentially life-threatening fractures.

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5 steps for prevention

Moderate impact weight-bearing

High impact weight-bearing

Weight bearing exercises should be performed for at least 30 minutes, 3-5 days per week.

Moderate impact weight-bearing

High impact weight-bearing

Weight bearing exercises should be performed for at least 30 minutes, 3-5 days per week.

Muscle-strengthening or resistance exercises

Muscle-strenghtening exercises should be performed at least 2 days per week.

Don’t let this ‘silent’ disease eat up your bones

Calcium requirements in males

19-70 years

70+ years

10-18 years

Get your daily dose of calcium

Make dairy foods your friend:

Stop smoking:

Reduce alcohol intake:

Maintain a healthy weight:

Talk to your doctor

There are many proven treatments that can help improve BMD and reduce your risk of fractures. Common treatments for men include:

Other treatment types include:

Adhere to your treatment

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