Optimizing Bones for Your Future Health
[caption id="attachment_12211" align="alignleft" width="192"] Nancy Palermo, MD[/caption] Written By: Nancy Palermo, MD Edited by: Thrive Carolinas Osteoporosis affects an estimated 10.2 million American adults aged 50 and older, of which more than 80% are women. Another 44 million are at risk for osteoporosis due to loss of bone density (osteopenia). Osteoporosis, characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), poses significant health risks, leading to fractures, reduced mobility, and a diminished quality of life. In a study based on almost 380,000 osteoporotic fractures in females, 10% had another fracture within one year, 18% within two years, and 31% within five years. More concerning is the mortality rate after a hip fracture can be as high as 36% within a year of the break. The physical and economic burden of osteoporosis is underrated....