Bone Health Basics Archives - Page 6 of 6 - Better Bones, Better Body
Questions? Text 1-315-595-5564

Archive for category: Bone Health Basics

You are here: Home / Bone Health Basics
Smoking and Bone Loss
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Smoking and Bone Loss- Are You at Risk?

/0 Comments/in /by

It has long been suggested that smoking and bone loss are connected, but the extent to which smoking increased fracture risk was uncertain. Now, a recent meta-analysis of studies from all over the world has found that smoking is associated with a significantly increased risk of hip and other osteoporotic fractures in both men and women. After adjusting for age and weight, the risk of hip fracture, for example, was 55% higher in smokers than in non-smokers.

Looking at the impact of smoking and bone loss in another way, researchers Law and Hackshaw reported in 1997 that one hip fracture in eight is attributable to smoking, regardless of other risk factors.

 

References:
Kanis, J.A., et al. 2005. Smoking and fracture risk: A meta-analysis. Osteoporos Int, 1(2), 155-162.

Law, M.R., Hackshaw, A.K. 1997. A meta-analysis of cigarette smoking, bone mineral density and risk of hip fracture: Recognition of a major effect. BMJ, 315, 841-846.

 

Better Bones Blog
Dr. Susan E. Brown

How to tell if you are losing bone without a bone density test

/0 Comments/in /by

While most doctors tend to monitor bone density with the dual-energy x-ray absorptiomentry (DEXA) test, there is another, less expensive test helpful in determining if you are currently losing bone. This test, called the cross-linked N-teleopeptide (or NTx for short), is a simple urine or blood test known as a “marker of bone resorption.” When you lose bone, small fragments of bone protein show up in the urine and blood, and measuring these bone protein fragments gives an indication of rate of bone breakdown. In most cases a high rate of bone breakdown, also known as bone resorption, indicates that there is an ongoing loss of bone mass.

The bone resorption markers most commonly used are the urine NTx osteomark marker and the urine deoxypyridinium cross-links (Dpd). Your physician can order either of these tests. Generally, a score that’s near or even a bit below the premenopausal mean for women, and one near or even a bit below the young adult mean for men, is ideal. In both tests, the higher the number, the greater the likelihood of a more rapid rate of ongoing bone loss. For more details see my articles on bone density testing and bone resorption testing.