Osteoporosis
Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Medical Editors: Dennis Lee, MD, and Jay W. Marks, MD
 |
Are All Calcium Supplements the Same?
Author:
Betty Kovacs, MS, RD
Medical Editor: William
C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
 A Viewer Asks: I've heard that not all calcium supplements are the same. Which over-the-counter vitamins or minerals help build bones? Which brands or types are better than others?
Expert Answer: You heard right, not all calcium supplements are the same. The supplements will differ by the kinds of calcium that they contain, the amount that they contain, and any thing else that is added to them (other minerals or vitamins). Along with that, there are other factors that will
affect how much of the calcium you will actually absorb, including medications that you are taking, your age, your vitamin D levels, the amount of calcium that you are taking and if you are pregnant. If you have any concerns over any of these, it would be best to speak with your physician before taking anything.
The most common forms of calcium in supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. The differences between the two are...
Top Searched Osteoporosis Terms:
risk factors,
diet,
age,
prevention,
drugs,
osteopenia,
men,
nutrition,
menopause,
weight-bearing exercise,
diagnosis
|
 |
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in the density of bone, decreasing its strength and resulting in fragile bones. Osteoporosis literally leads to abnormally porous bone that is compressible, like a sponge. This disorder of the skeleton weakens the bone and results in frequent fractures (breaks) in the bones.
Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen, and calcium all of which give bone its strength. Bones that are affected by osteoporosis can break (fracture) with relatively minor injury that normally would not cause a bone to fracture. The fracture can be either in the form of cracking (as in a hip fracture) or collapsing (as in a compression fracture of the vertebrae of the spine). The spine, hips, ribs, and wrists are common areas of bone fractures from osteoporosis although osteoporosis-related fractures can occur in almost any skeletal bone.
What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis can be present without any symptoms for decades because osteoporosis doesn't cause symptoms until bone fractures. Moreover, some osteoporotic fractures may escape detection for years when they do not cause symptoms. Therefore, patients may not be aware of their osteoporosis until they suffer a painful fracture. The symptom associated with osteoporotic fractures usually is pain; the location of the pain depends on the location of the fracture.
Fractures of the spine (vertebra) can cause severe "band-like" pain that radiates from the back to the sides of the body. Over the years, repeated spinal fractures can lead to chronic lower back pain as well as loss of height or curving of the spine due to collapse of the vertebrae. The collapse gives individuals a hunched-back appearance of the upper back, often called a "dowager hump" because it commonly is seen in elderly women.
A fracture that occurs during the course of normal activity is called a minimal trauma or stress fracture. For example, some patients with osteoporosis develop stress fractures of the feet while walking or stepping off a curb.
Hip fractures typically occur as a result of a fall. With osteoporosis, hip fractures can occur as a result of trivial accidents. Hip fractures also may heal slowly or poorly after surgical repair because of poor healing of the bone.
Next: What are the consequences of osteoporosis? »
- medroxyprogesterone, Provera, Depo-Provera, Depo-Sub Q Provera 104 - Explains the medication medroxyprogesterone (Provera, Cycrin, Depo-Provera, Deop-Sub Q Provera 104), a drug used used to treat abnormal uterine bleeding, contraception, and for treating endometrial or renal cancer.
- Bone Density Scan - Get information on bone density scan for osteoporosis and osteopenia risk. Learn about bone mineral density, how the screening is done and get an explanation of test results.
- Lower Back Pain - Get information on causes of lower back pain (arthritis, pregnancy, herniated disc, sciatica, ovarian cysts). Read about low back pain symptoms, backache treatment and diagnosis.
Latest Medical News
|
|
 |
From WebMD
Healthy Resources
Featured Centers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Osteoporosis
Gluten Free Diet (Celiac Disease) »
How does digestion work?
When it comes to digesting food, the human body is like a well oiled machine.
Through a complex process food is broken up, the necessary nutrients are
absorbed, and the waste products are excreted. A disruption in any part of this
process can lead to deficiencies, diseases, or even death.
From the moment that food enters the mouth digestion begins. Food is broken
up in the mouth, and moistened with saliva that also contains digestive enzymes.
The food will go through the esophagus to the stomach where it is stored and
mixed. It then passes into the small intestine where majority of the nutrient
absorption takes place. The small intestine is a long, narrow tube that extends
from the stomach to the large intestines. The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas
all aid in the digestion and absorption of nutrients. After the nutrients have
been absorbed, the remaining un-absorbed food passes through to the large
intestine, also k...
Read the Gluten Free Diet (Celiac Disease) article »
|