Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Osteoporosis and Diabetes: a Match Made From Hell

More than forty million Americans risk having a disease called osteoporosis; and more than half of this number is composed of women. This condition is mainly characterized by weak and thinning bone structures. People who are suffering from osteoporosis are more susceptible to having fractures and could end up becoming permanently disabled.

There are several factors that can bring about osteoporosis. One's predisposition to experience drastic bone loss includes heredity, age, and even gender. But anybody can acquire the disease on account of mineral deficiency, sedentary lifestyle, and also bad habits like smoking and alcoholism.

Generally speaking, you can avoid osteoporosis if you are fortunate enough to detect it in the early stages and if you start to live a healthier lifestyle. However, there are times when osteoporosis can progress in your body not because of the factors mentioned above, but rather because of other diseases. And one of the major health conditions that can bring about osteoporosis is diabetes.

You may have heard about diabetes. Basically it is a malfunction in your body's metabolic process. You see, your body effects a chemical change in the food that you eat; through this, food is converted into glucose and other nutrients that can be utilized by all the cells in your body. But before such glucose and nutrients can enter your cells, a hormone called insulin must be around to regulate the absorption rate of your cells.

When you have diabetes, your system creates very little or no insulin at all. When this happens, your body is unable to absorb glucose and other nutrients at the cellular level. The next thing you know is your cells are starving and you feel weaker as your main energy source, that is glucose and nutrients, is excreted from the body as wastes.

The Diabetic Connection

Studies have shown that diabetes is definitely associated with having weaker bone structures. One of the reasons for this is the fact that insulin is among the hormones responsible for stronger and denser bones. So naturally, having problems with your insulin production will negatively affect your body's bone-building abilities and the quality of your bone tissues as well.

Take the case of someone who is suffering from Type 1 diabetes. This type of diabetes can begin to strike during childhood years and so there is a high possibility that a diabetic under this category may be experiencing osteoporosis too.

Experts say that the body's bone mass density is at its highest level during the age of 30. Hence, if your body's ability to build bones has been jeopardized since childhood, you may have attained a very low bone mass density; and that makes you a candidate for osteoporosis.

Suffering from diabetes also entails symptoms that can further increase your risk of bone loss. Poor eyesight and nerve disorders that are common to diabetes patients have been linked to bad falls and bumps that lead to bone fractures. Having broken bones while your body is having a hard time rebuilding them is definitely bad news for you.

Being overweight can also contribute to the weakening of the bones. Unnecessary pressure is applied to the bone structures, especially in the joints, when someone is beyond his or her normal body weight. This is critical for people who have Type 2 diabetes because, for the most part, patients under this category are also obese.

It is true that diabetes and osteoporosis are two different health conditions. But suffering from diabetes can greatly increase your risk of having osteoporosis. If you think you are diabetic, you should consult with your doctor immediately. As for bone problems, the best thing that you can do is increase the level of important bone minerals in your body. There are products that are especially formulated for your bones, just like Osteozyne. Click on www.osteozyne.com for more details.



Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.healthnfitnesszone.com.



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