Discuss the choices of diet and drugs for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis in women

What will be an ideal response?


To maximize bone mass, the diet must deliver an adequate supply of calcium during the first three decades of life. Children and teens who consume milk products and get enough calcium have denser bones than those with inadequate intakes. With little or no calcium from the diet, the body must depend on bone to supply calcium to the blood— bone mass diminishes, and bones lose their density and strength. When people reach the bone-losing years of middle age, those who formed dense bones during their youth have the advantage. They simply have more bone starting out and can lose more before suffering ill effects.

Estrogen therapy may help some women prevent further bone loss and reduce the incidence of fractures. Because estrogen therapy may increase the risks for breast cancer, women must carefully weigh any potential benefits against the possible dangers. A combination of drugs or of hormone replacement and a drug may be most beneficial. Several drug therapies have been developed to inhibit bone loss and enhance bone formation. The FDA has approved the following drugs to prevent or treat osteoporosis: biophosphates, calcitonin, estrogens, estrogen antagonists, and parathyroid hormone.

Some women who choose not to use estrogen therapy turn to soy as an alternative treatment. Interestingly, the phytochemicals commonly found in soy mimic the actions of estrogen in the body. Research results have been mixed and controversial, but overall seem to indicate a lack of benefit for soy and its phytochemicals in helping to prevent the rapid bone losses of the menopause years.

Nutritional Science

You might also like to view...

Extremely low-birthweight infants weigh, at maximum, _____ at birth. 

A. 700 g B. 800 g C. 900 g D. 1000 g E. 1100 g

Nutritional Science

Maggie was a subject in a clinical study that was designed to determine the effects of certain diets on health. While participating in the study, she was given a synthetic formula diet that provided vitamins, minerals, egg protein, purified water, and potato starch. Within a few weeks, Maggie's hair began to fall out and she developed patches of scaly skin on her arms and legs. Which of the following substances should be added to her formula to treat her nutritional deficiency?

A. Essential fatty acids B. Cholesterol esters C. Glucose polymers D. Bile salts

Nutritional Science

What condition causes blood glucose levels to stay high in people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes?

A) High blood lipids B) Insulin resistance C) Chronic inflammation D) High blood pressure

Nutritional Science

KL is 42 years of age and comes to your office for nutritional counseling. Your nutritional assessment data is as follows: HT: 5'7" WT: 180# 1.7018 m/170.18 cm, 81.818 kg Calculate the TEE for KL assuming KL is female and sedentary

a. 2489.7 kcal b. 3019.8 kcal c. 2065.1 kcal d. 2605.4 kcal

Nutritional Science