🦴 Men's Health
Osteoporosis — Prevention and Management
Protecting your bones before the first fracture happens.
Osteoporosis — reduced bone density leading to fragile bones — causes fractures that often permanently change quality of life. In women, bone loss accelerates dramatically after menopause. In both sexes, the first sign is often a fracture from a minor fall. Prevention and early treatment are far more effective than treating established fractures.
Signs and Symptoms
✓ Usually NO SYMPTOMS until a fracture occurs
✓ Gradual height loss over years (vertebral compression fractures)
✓ Kyphosis ("dowager's hump" — forward curvature of the upper spine)
✓ Back pain from vertebral fractures — often sudden, severe
✓ Fractures from minor falls — wrist, hip, spine most common
✓ Hip fracture — the most devastating complication; high mortality in older adults
When to Seek Help
NowFall with hip, wrist, or spine pain — all fragility fractures need assessment, imaging, and bone health investigation.
RoutineAll post-menopausal women at the start of menopause — bone density (DEXA) assessment and calcium/vitamin D optimisation.
SoonLong-term steroid use, malabsorption conditions, or family history of early osteoporosis — preventive DEXA assessment.
Tests & Diagnosis
🧪 DEXA Scan (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry)
The gold standard for bone density measurement — scores expressed as T-score: above -1 normal; -1 to -2.5 osteopenia (low bone density); below -2.5 osteoporosis.
🧪 FRAX Score
Online calculation tool — estimates 10-year fracture risk based on multiple factors including age, sex, weight, previous fracture, and steroid use. Guides treatment decisions.
🧪 Vitamin D Level (25-OH Vitamin D)
Deficiency is extremely common in Nigeria despite sun exposure — particularly in women who cover up. Levels below 50 nmol/L warrant supplementation.
🧪 Calcium, Phosphate, and PTH
To exclude secondary causes of bone loss (hyperparathyroidism, osteomalacia).
🧪 Kidney and Liver Function
Before starting bisphosphonate treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is osteoporosis inevitable after menopause?
No. Bone loss accelerates after menopause, but with adequate calcium, vitamin D, weight-bearing exercise, and in some cases HRT or bisphosphonates, significant bone loss is preventable. The younger you start preventive measures, the better.
Does milk help build bone?
Yes — dairy products are the richest dietary source of calcium. Milk, yoghurt, and cheese are excellent. For those who cannot tolerate dairy, calcium-fortified plant milks, canned fish with bones (sardines), and calcium-rich green vegetables (ugu, spinach) are alternatives.
Can I take calcium without a doctor's advice?
1000–1200 mg daily calcium through diet and supplementation is safe for most people. However, large doses of calcium supplements (above 1200 mg from supplements alone) may increase cardiovascular risk. Food sources are preferable to high-dose supplements.
Is osteoporosis only a women's disease?
No — men develop osteoporosis too, particularly after age 70. Men's osteoporosis is less recognised and often later diagnosed. All men who have had a fragility fracture, long-term steroid use, or are over 70 with risk factors should have bone density assessed.
After a hip fracture, can I recover fully?
Recovery depends on age, pre-fracture fitness, and speed of surgery (within 24–48 hours is ideal). Many older adults do not return to their pre-fracture functional level. This is why prevention — not fall management after the fact — is the priority.