Treating Osteoporosis (Bone Loss): Medication, Micronutrients, Exercise, and Foods for Bone Health | Feat. Dr. Mohit Shukla
How is osteoporosis (bone loss, or brittle bones) detected? Which medications, supplements, exercises, and foods can help prevent and treat osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is often referred to as a “silent disease,” because its symptoms are hard to detect. Suspicions about the disease may not be raised until a fracture appears in the spine, hip, or another load-bearing bone or joint.
Which is why knowing the risk factors for osteoporosis is so important. These include being underweight, being older, and having a family history of the disease. Based on these and other risk factors, a doctor may recommend testing—such as a bone density test—to rule out osteoporosis.
Even certain medications, such as those used for treating asthma and arthritis, can increase the risk for osteoporosis, says New York-based rheumatologist, Dr. Mohit Shukla MD.
“We always try to see if the patients can be taken off the medications if medically acceptable, or [put on] the lowest dose possible,” Dr. Shukla said.
“These patients should be counseled to take enough calcium, vitamin D, along with the medication to prevent the bone loss.”
As a rheumatologist, Dr. Shukla treats diseases of the soft tissue, the connective tissue, and the joints, like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. He was recognized on the “Best Doctors of America” database for 2020.
Dr. Shukla said that for patients who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, there is a blood test that can be used to check if they have low vitamin D. “So we supplement with a higher dose of prescription-strength vitamin D,” he said.
But which type of vitamin D is best, and how much is recommended?
Dr. Shukla joins Vital Signs host Brendon Fallon to outline key medical, nutritional, exercise, and other means to prevent and treat osteoporosis.
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