A Hidden Threat to Men’s Health
Do you depend on the major media for your health information? If so, you may think osteoporosis affects only women.
In fact, it’s a health problem for men too. And because most men don’t know they’re at risk, they’re far less likely to take action to prevent it.
Men get one-third of all osteoporosis-related bone fractures. But their chances of complications are dramatically higher than they are for women. Men with prostate cancer are especially vulnerable. Both the disease and a common treatment — androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) — contribute to bone loss.
Here’s how to lower your risk:
- Maintain adequate levels of vitamin D. All it takes is two or three hours per week of exposure to sunlight, say the folks at Total Health Breakthroughs. If you can’t spend that much time in the sun, take a vitamin D supplement or cod liver oil.
- Get at least 1,000 mg of calcium per day, preferably from your diet. A high-protein diet makes more calcium available for building bone density. Just one more reason to make healthy protein part of every meal.
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