Is bone health something YOU need to be concerned about? I am going to throw a few facts at you and let you decide. Obviously, I wouldn’t be bringing this up if I did not believe it was an important concern as we age. The reality is that most people are not concerned about their bones until it becomes a problem (ie. hip fracture, joint pain, arthritis etc..) First, we should look at how our bone density is measured.
We doctor types use measures such as Z scores and T scores to help it makes sense. T scores are ratios that measure your bone density and compare it to other younger individuals . Z scores are age matched and compare to others your age. Values equal to or below -2.5 are considered to be significant for Osteoporosis. This disease usually affects those in the later years of life and lead to fractures with seemingly benign injuries. Values between -1.5 and -2.5 are considered to indicate Osteopenia, often a transitional period to Osteoporosis. Most of us have values above -1.5.
But where are we on the curve?
In other words…is our bone density stable or declining?The truth is that most of us begin a slow decline sometime in our thirties. This decline typically parallels that of muscle loss.The most important point in this email is that loss of bone strength and density( as well as muscle loss), is completely preventable. Sure, many factors come in to the picture ( i.e. chronic disease, diet, exercise, hormonal balance, medications other lifestyle factors).The test we use to determine Bone density, called a DEXA scan, also has specialized software to determine Lean Muscle Mass and Body Fat percentage. In fact, the DEXA scanner is considered to be the gold standard for this measurement.
Many of our Age Management services at The Lamkin Clinic include an evaluation with the DEXA scan to determine these values and act on them now to ensure healthy bones for life. Call us here at The Lamkin Clinic for more information. 405.601.4249. We can personalize a program that specifically meets your needs.
Healthy Regards,
The Lamkin Clinic Team