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How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
The diagnosis of osteoporosis is usually made by your doctor using a combination of a complete medical history and physical examination, skeletal x rays, and occasionally bone densitometry. If your doctor finds low bone mass, he or she may want to perform additional tests to rule out the possibility of other diseases that can cause bone loss, including osteomalacia (a vitamin D deficiency) or hyperparathyroidism (overactivity of the parathyroid glands).

Bone densitometry is a safe, painless x ray technique that compares your bone density to the norm for a person of your age, gender, and race. It is often performed in women at the time of menopause. Several types of bone densitometry are in use today to detect bone loss in different areas of the body. These include single photon absorptiometry (SPA), dual photon absorptiometry (DPA), quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and others. Your doctor can determine which type would be best for you.

What can I do to prevent osteoporosis or keep it from getting worse?
Everyone eventually develops osteoporosis. But there is a lot you can do throughout your life to delay its development, slow its progression, and protect yourself from fractures.

Include adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D in your diet.

Calcium. During the growing years, your body needs calcium to build strong bones and to create a supply of calcium reserves. Building bone mass when you are young is a good investment for your future. Inadequate calcium during growth can contribute to the development of osteoporosis later in life.

Whatever your age or health status, you need calcium to keep your bones healthy. Calcium continues to be an essential nutrient after growth because the body loses calcium every day. Although calcium can't prevent gradual bone loss after menopause, it continues to play an essential role in maintaining bone quality. Even if you've gone through menopause or already have osteoporosis, increasing your intake of calcium can decrease your risk of fracture.

How much calcium you need will vary depending your age and other factors. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) makes the following recommendations regarding optimal daily intake of calcium:

• 11 to 24 years: 1,200-1,500 mg per day
• Pregnant or nursing women 1,200-1,500 mg per day
• Before menopause: 1,000 mg per day
• Menopausal, postmenopausal women not taking estrogen: 1,500 mg per day
• Menopausal, postmenopausal women taking estrogen: 1,000 mg per day
• Men 25 to 65 years: 1,000 mg per day
• Women and men over 65:1,500 mg per day

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