Duke Surgeon Urges DEXA Scans at 50, Offers 4 Tips to Slow Bone Loss
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Sep 23
Duke Surgeon Urges DEXA Scans at 50, Offers 4 Tips to Slow Bone Loss
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Sep 23
Summary
Seven in 10 American women will develop osteopenia or osteoporosis in their lifetime, and Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein says screening should start around the menopause transition—about age 50 or 51—not the more typical 65.
DEXA scans measure bone density with a T-score: 0 to -1 is normal, -1 to -2.5 indicates osteopenia, and below -2.5 signals osteoporosis, a disease Wittstein calls silent until a fracture reveals it.
Strength training and impact exercise are her first defense because they stimulate bone-building and improve balance; she noted about 30% of people who break a hip die within one to two years.
Diet is the second pillar: Wittstein highlights calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin K and fiber, suggesting 600-800 units of vitamin D, 1,000 milligrams of calcium and 300-400 milligrams of magnesium for deficiencies.
Hormone therapy may also help some women because estrogen slows bone breakdown; Wittstein said women can lose about 10% of bone density in the narrow window around menopause.