As a 28 year old woman, I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis. I am often asked how this could happen to someone so young.
Not Absorbing Calcium in the Teen Years
The teenage years are prime bone building years. As a teenager, I had prolonged Amenorrhea -- that is, I didn't have a regular period each month. This was due to the fact that I was really active, I danced, ran track and rode my bicycle for miles on end. As a result of doing all this, I had a low percentage of fat on my body -- under 18%. Not having a period each month, I thought at the time, was a relief: I didn't have to deal with it. What I didn't know was that the amenorrhea was a sign of my body not producing enough estrogen.
Estrogen is not just a sex hormone, it does many things. One of which is to help the body to absorb calcium. While I was a good eater and had a healthy diet with plenty of cheese and milk and other calcium rich foods, I was not able to absorb what I took in. So, my prime bone building years actually gave me less dense bones than the average teenager.
Depression Promotes Bone Loss
Another thing that sapped my calcium was because during my 20's, I had a long period of depression. Depression raises the cortisone in the body and this will actually remove calcuim that is stored in the bones.
I didn't know to have my bone density tested, nor did my doctor advise me to do it. I had my bone density tested because I happened to be the person at the doctor's office at the time they installed a new bone density machine and they needed someone to test it. My doctor and I were both shocked at the results, however, after asking me some questions about my history, it all seemed to make sense.
Talk to Your Daughters
I hope that parents who read this article are snoopy enough to ask their teenaged daughters if they are having regular periods. I hope they make sure their daughters eat enough calcium in their diets and watch them for signs of depression.
Osteoporosis is Reversible
The good news is, Osteoporosis is reversible. With a calcium rich diet, taking my bone building meds, and by lifting weights or doing other weight bearing exercises, I am able to build up my bone mass and completely reverse the disease. And I am grateful that I didn't have to break a bone to learn that. But the earlier you find you have this, the easier it is to reverse it.
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