5:20 PM
Vegetarian
We often take our bones for granted— they’re just a part of us—keeping us standing, walking, running, sitting a lot, maybe skiing or biking. We don’t think about them much until something goes wrong—one breaks or bends or somehow interferes with what we want to do. As we age, we’re less able to be complacent about our bones. Maybe we’re more worried about slipping on a throw rug and breaking a hip, or maybe we’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis or have noticed a decrease in height.
While following a vegan diet can promote bone health, it does not guarantee healthy bones. We’ve received notes like this one from a VRG member:
“I’m a 58-year-old woman, vegan, post-menopause, and I’ve just found out that I have osteoporosis. I don’t understand why this is happening to me. I take long walks every day and eat lots of grains and tofu. I thought vegans didn’t get osteoporosis because of their healthy diets …”
This article was written to explain what osteoporosis is, what causes it, and what vegans can do at every age to reduce their risk of developing osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a disease that affects more than 25 million Americans. In 2001, the estimated national direct expenditure for osteoporosis and fractures related to this condition was $17 billion, and this cost is rising. Osteoporosis simply means porous bones. It is a condition in which the bones become less dense and fragile, and they can break easily. It affects women more than men, although men are also affected as they get older. If osteoporosis leads to a bone fracture, it can seriously affect function and even lead to death.
To understand osteoporosis, we’ll need to look more closely at bones. Although bones seem very simple, they are actually fairly complicated. The scaffolding for bone is made from a protein called collagen. As bones form, calcium and phosphorus combine to make hydroxyapatite, a mineral-rich substance that crystallizes on the collagen scaffold, making a strong, rigid material. Bone minerals do not remain in the bone forever. Even after bones are formed, they are constantly changing. When another part of the body needs calcium, it is taken from the bone to meet the need. When more calcium is available, it is used to rebuild the bone.
Early in life, more bone is being built than is being broken down. After about age 30, though, more bone is being broken down than is being built, resulting in a net loss of bone. Although bone loss is inevitable with aging, if you have larger, stronger bones at the start, the normal loss of bone mass will not be as severe. Also, anything that can be done to slow the rate of loss helps to spare bones.
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