Staying active and getting plenty of weight-bearing exercise, as well as regular bone density tests at Jacksonville's Precision Imaging Centers, can help boost bone health.

Osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones, affects 10 million older Americans (80 percent of them women). And some of the causes may surprise you. To find out if you’ve been affected, opt for a bone density test. Jacksonville’s Precision Imaging Centers offers state-of-the-art digital imaging services to determine your risk for osteoporosis. Be sure to schedule your appointment if you are 65 or older, particularly if you’ve experienced any of the following:

• Medical treatment with glucocorticoids, antidepressants, Depo-Provera or Chemotherapy: Each of these medications / treatments has been linked with bone loss, particularly in patients who take them long-term and who were already at risk for bone loss at the time they began treatment. Bone health appears to return once women stop taking Depo-Provera, an injected contraceptive or cease chemotherapy treatments.
• Diabetes: Bone structure in diabetes patients is more porous than in those who don’t have the disease.
• Autoimmune disorders: Lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory conditions are risk factors for bone loss, even in sufferers who forego medications.
• Kidney disease: Kidney disease can affect hormone levels and vitamin D levels, both of which can lead to bone loss.
• Estrogen deficiency: Menopause or anything else that causes a drop in estrogen levels can boost your chances of bone loss.
• Gastrectomy and weight-loss surgery: Removal of part of the stomach can affect the digestive tract’s ability to absorb calcium and vitamin D- both nutrients essential to bone health.
• Eating disorders: Eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia can lead to bone loss via malnutrition, excessive weight loss, calcium deficiencies, estrogen drops and overproduction of cortisol, known as the “stress hormone.”
• Immobility: Whether by being bedridden due to a medical condition for a long period of time or simply being a couch potato, immobility can weaken your bones. Being active and getting plenty of weight-bearing exercise can help strengthen them.
• Smoking: Smoking cigarettes is believed to interfere with calcium absorption and has been linked to bone fractures. Kick the habit and bone health will gradually return.
• Excessive alcohol: Drinking large amounts of alcohol can deplete your hormones and boost cortisol levels, thus affecting bone health. Plus, frequent drunken falls make you more susceptible to bone fractures and breaks.

If you believe you’re at risk for bone loss, even if you’re not yet 65 years old, contact Precision Imagining Centers for information on a bone densitometry test. Jacksonville’s top imaging provider can be reached at 904-996-8100, or via our online appointment request form.