Question: I just saw an article (sorry, I forgot where) which stated that anyone
who weighs under 127 lbs. is at higher risk for osteoporosis. I fail to
understand this since it takes no account of height or bone structure.
I, for example, am a female weighing 125 lbs. and am 5'3".
I'm not extremely thin and have medium to large bones. Aren't all of
these factors to be considered in statements about weight as a risk
factor?
Answer:If you are *that* underweight, you have very little fat. Estrogen, the
female hormone that helps keeping your bones in shape, is stored in fat.
Thus, if you don't have any fat, you can't store this very important hormone
and your bones will suffer!
That is also the reason why girls with anorexia nervosa and bulimia will in
most cases suffer from this disease.
I am 28 years old, tall and slim and was diagnozed with osteoporosis last
year. The first questions they asked me were about my diet. Although I have
never been on a diet and eat very healthy, have no hormonal deficiancies etc,
I got the disease purely because it is genetically determined in some cases -
my mother suffers from it as well. The only treatment I may receive at this
stage is calcium supplements and estrogen. I was on both fossamax and
ossiplex (sodium fluoride) but because very little is known about its long
term effects as well as the effects on premenopausal women, I was advised by
my endocrinologist to steer away from it - if I take it, I'll probably use it
for 50 years??!!
