Consider Osteoporosis

[JesusA (imported)]

The article below is reprinted from the Corvallis (Oregon) Gazette-Times of June 2, 2003 with permission of the author. It’s an important health reminder for ALL of us, not just those without testicles! While it’s doubtful that any of us will be registeringin the classes listed, they are a reminder of what we all need to consider.

Consider Osteoporosis

By Karen Emery

Brittle Bone or porous bone disease are both names for the disease Osteoporosis. This disease causes the skeleton to weaken with decreased bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue, increasing ones susceptibility to fractures of the hip, spine and wrist. Most women are familiar with this disease and associate it with the drop in estrogen produced during menopause. Although estrogen is but one of many contributing factors for Osteoporosis. One out of every two women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime.

What isn’t talked about as often, is the risk for men. More than two million American men suffer from osteoporosis, and millions more are at risk. Each year, eighty thousand men suffer a hip fracture and one-third of these men die within a year according to the National Institutes of Health.

It’s alive! Bone is a living tissue made up of primarily collagen with a sprinkling of calcium phosphate to make the bones strong. It’s important to understand the ebb and flow of bone growth. Through out our lives old bone is removed (resorption) and new bone is added (formation). Bone formation happens faster than resorption until around age thirty. After that, resorption slowly begins to exceed bone formation. Osteoporosis occurs when bone loss happens too quickly or replacement bone happens too slowly.

Men can experience a loss of bone as they age and this change contributes to the development of the disease. A lower testosterone level (hypogonadism) may cause bone loss. Other risks are smoking, alcohol abuse, little to no exercise, family history and low body weight.

Exercise makes bones stronger and weight bearing exercise is especially helpful. A few examples of fun things to do that are good for the bones are walking, stair climbing, weight training, tennis and dancing.

Here are three up coming programs to consider for Osteoporosis prevention. The Corvallis Senior Center has a dance every Friday night to live music at 7pm and the cost is $3. This is great exercise. Linn-Benton Community College co-sponsors an exercise class with the Corvallis Senior Center specifically designed for Osteoporosis prevention. This program emphasizes the lower body and helps increase muscle strength, mass and power and improves balance and coordination. The use of weighted vests add to the work out. You can register now for summer term which begins on June 24 and continues trough August 16. The cost is $32 for those people 62 or older or $64 if under age 62. The class is held at the Senior Center at 7:45 a.m. for one hour. And lastly, the Senior Center is hosting a lecture specifically on Osteoporosis Prevention in Men on Thursday, July 3 at 2 pm. This free lecture will teach people about diet and exercise and will focus on calcium and vitamin D in particular. Pre-register by calling 766-6959.

Karen Emery is the Director of the Corvallis Senior Center of the Parks and Recreation Department, City of Corvallis.

[Andrew (imported)]

The article below is reprinted from the Corvallis (Oregon) Gazette-Times of June 2, 2003 with permission of the author. It’s an important health reminder for ALL of us, not just those without testicles! While it’s doubtful that any of us will be registering in the classes listed, they are a reminder of what we all need to consider.

Indeed, I would say that osteoporosis is (or should be) the #1 health concern of us eunuchs as we age. Shortly before or after castration, every eunuch should get a bone density scan, preferably a DEXA scan if your health insurance will pay for it. After that, a scan is suggested every two years for post-menopausal women, and should also be the schedule for eunuchs.

On a personal note, I had my first bone scan in June 2001, one month after my castration. I was at 115% compared to the average male of my age. My second biannual scan is scheduled for this 28 July 2003.

Of course I take 1,500 MG calcium per day, and 400 I.U of Vitamin D per day. I have an exercise program that includes yoga, weight training, and senior aerobics. I am on my feet several hours at work on a hard floor. I will find out in six weeks just how well all this is doing to keep my bones from becoming too weak.

:catclock:

[Riverwind (imported)]

Indeed, I would say that osteoporosis is (or should be) the #1 health concern of us eunuchs as we age. Shortly before or after castration, every eunuch should get a bone density scan, preferably a DEXA scan if your health insurance will pay for it. After that, a scan is suggested every two years for post-menopausal women, and should also be the schedule for eunuchs.

I totally agree with Andrew on this issue, I had my bone density scan a couple months after castration and it was 87% of normal, so all the things that were sugested above I have been doing the calicum, Vit D, I go to the gym three times a week and my workout is designed for some one like me with Osteoporosis, weight barring excerise. I will be getting another scan this December and see what it is and then my doctor and I will go form there.

If you are unlucky enough to get Osteoporosis, Fosamax in normaly prescribed, its a 70 mg tablet that you take once a week on an empty stomach with a full glass of water and then nothing for an hour, you must stay up. I have been taking them every saturday sense the 1st of December.

RW

[Bboy]

I just want to mention for all (even intact) men that we are not immune to osteoporosis.

Especially if you have other factors such as medication that can affect your bone health, be sure to get a periodic scan.

I have to take prednisone (a steroid) in rather large doses on a fairly frequent basis, and osteoporosis is one of the major dangers.

This goes for all possible side effects: read your medication warnings and ask questions of your doctors and pharmasists.

[Andrew (imported)]

I just want to mention for all (even intact) men that we are not immune to osteoporosis..

[/b]

Indeed, the National Osteoporosis Foundation has a while web page on this topic.

http://www.nof.org/men/

[Paolo]

Got milk?

Get a cow. Eat oyster shells, chew on rocks, something!

Ever since breaking my hand a some time ago while punching out my truck (my old one, God I miss it!) I have been concerned about this. I drink the killer milk with the red lid, you know.

But I also smoke voraciously and eat raw, red meat, so I'm doomed. Oh well. If that don't get ya, the genetics will!

Seriously though, DO look into bone health. I've watched the suffering of several of 'my' boys here with broken bones, and if that takes THEM that long to mend, imagine what it would take US!

[Dok (imported)]

Dear Fellow Eunuchs,

I would like to add this to the discussion about eunuchs being at greater risk of osteoporosis. This is true. Our metabolism becomes similar to post menopausal women, but with proper exercise and vitamin supplements osteoporosis can largely prevented. I am 84 now and my last bone scan, about a year ago, showed normal density for my age group. The following is an excerpt from Castration: Advantages and Disadvantages. Hopefully this information will be helpful in your combating this serious disease.

Cordially,

Vic Cheney

mjc

(4) Osteoporosis – The Silent Disease. Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by decreasing bone mass, decreased bone density, and enlargement of interior bone spaces producing porosity and fragility. This disease is a result of disturbances of calcium metabolism from a large number of possible factors: aging, nutritional, hormonal, and behavioral, disease, heredity, and race. It is called the “silent disease” or the “silent epidemic” in the U.S. because most of the 28 million Americans afflicted do not know they have it until a bone suddenly breaks or they have back pain. This disease in the U.S. causes about 1.5 million fractures of the vertebrae, hip, or forearm each year. One man in six will have a hip fracture by old age. Fifteen percent will die of the injury and 50% of the survivors will be committed to long-term domiciliary care. Direct and indirect costs of osteoporosis were estimated at $7 to $10 billion annually in the U.S. in 1983. Some elderly men, over 70 years of age, are also at risk of vertebral fractures leading to abnormal convexity of the spine. “In men who have absent gonads at puberty (e.g. – vanishing testes syndrome or gonadal dysgenesis – Turner’s syndrome) and do not receive treatment with gonadal steroids, osteoporosis is almost universal by age 30.”567

Wilson and Roehrborn0 wrote an article, which illustrated the effect of castration in a number of Chinese and Skoptzy eunuchs. Thinning of the bones in the skull was evident by x-ray in all of the Skoptzy men examined and that kyphosis of the spine was common. Twenty of the 31 Chinese eunuchs showed the kyphosis, which is an abnormal curvature of the thoracic spine viewed from the side. In the studies, which they quoted, the kyphosis was more severe in men who had been castrated for a longer period of time (42 years versus an average of 33 years) and came from regions where vitamin D deficiency was more common.

Here the term primary osteoporosis is that which is due to a single identifiable cause like a disease (i.e., rickets) or drug (such as vitamin D deficiency) in adults. Secondary osteoporosis is usually a multifactorial disorder involving genetic, nutritional, environmental, and exercise factors.

Today, as life expectancy in the U.S. continues to increase, it behooves all of us to become aware of our own risk factors early on so that we can take corrective action before the disease reaches the critical point and it becomes too late to take preventive measures. Prevention of osteoporosis is by far the most cost-effective approach. A simple test of our height versus arm span will give us an idea of how the disease is affecting us. Since the spine is the first bone system to deteriorate and the arm span is one of the last, we can get an accurate measure of our loss of spine by measuring both height and arm span. If they are not the same, then we have had some deterioration of the spine since our maximum height was reached in our 20s. Some people have as much as 4 to 8 inches loss of height. Other early signs of osteoporosis are transparent skin, periodontal disease, back pain, and posture. If the outlines of both the major and minor veins on the back of the hand can be seen clearly it means that the collagen in the skin has thinned out. Since there is also collagen in the bones, we can get a rough idea of the bone condition. Deterioration of the jawbones can be a factor in tooth weakening and decay, but this indication for osteoporosis is not as clear because many other factors such as plaque and oral hygiene can also cause teeth to become weak.

Whenever one of the early signs of osteoporosis or causes, such as castration, is experienced, the patient should make an assessment profile of all of his risk factors. We should discontinue smoking; decrease alcohol, caffeine, salt and cooking with aluminum pans. Men and women should make certain that they are getting the required daily allowance (RDA) of 1,000 milligrams of calcium in their diet or by supplements like calcium citrate, along with plenty of exercise. Those who spend less than 4 hours a day on their feet have twice the risk of those who move around more. Bones thrive on the stress of constant use. Milk is a good source of calcium, along with green leafy vegetables. Tofu and broccoli are excellent. Fish is a good source. Milk has about 291 mg of calcium per cup and vitamin D added which aids calcium retention in the bones. Magnesium, potassium, and zinc also work with the calcium; nuts and wheat germ are good sources also. Fluoridated “hard” water provides about 100 mg of calcium per quart. Calcium intake should increase to exceed 1,500 for men past age 64 and post-menopausal women. A small Boron supplement (3 mg per day) may also be beneficial. Over the past decade, a surge of new antiosteroporotic drugs has been developed. One class of agents used to treat osteoporosis is the bisphosphonates, which inhibits bone reabsorption, causes an increase in bone mineral density, and reduces the risk of future fractures. Fosamax, Alendronate, Actonel, and other bisphosphonates cut the risk of a fractured hip, of spine in half.

Castration is a risk factor for osteoporosis especially for thin men with other predisposing conditions. Heavy men will have less dangerous bone degeneration because their bones have more weight to support; they eat more and had heavier bones before the surgery. Any man who has experienced the castration surgery should be aware of the risk factors that apply to him, he should take the appropriate tests, and take steps to ingest adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, and get plenty of exercise. Both weight-bearing exercise and aerobic exercise are needed. If this is done, the risk of osteoporosis to castrated men is minimal.

567 DeGroot, Leslie J. (Editor, 1989). Endocrinology. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co., pp. 1189, 2014.

0 568Wilson, Jean, and Roehrborn, C. (1999). Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 84(12), pp. 4234-4331).

[Andrew (imported)]

Dear Fellow Eunuchs,

I would like to add this to the discussion about eunuchs being at greater risk of osteoporosis. This is true. Our metabolism becomes similar to post menopausal women, but with proper exercise and vitamin supplements osteoporosis can largely prevented. I am 84 now and my last bone scan, about a year ago, showed normal density for my age group. The following is an excerpt from Castration: Advantages and Disadvantages. Hopefully this information will be helpful in your combating this serious disease.

First, congratulations on your latest bone density scan. (I get my second one at the end of this month. My first, done one month after my castration, showed me 115% above normal. But my job has me walking around on a hard floor several hours a day.).

Second, this revised chapter is much better. I notice, however, that you did not address the topic of eunuchs who use HRT, either testosterone or estrogen, to help ward off osteoporosis. For the record, I am taking low amounts of estrogen to supress hot flashes and night sweats, and am hoping this will also help against osteoporosis.

[Dok (imported)]

Dear Andrew,

Glad to hear your density is so high. Yes, my work, researching, is fairly sedate so I have, setup for myself a regular workout routine every morning which includes dumb bells, various exercises, stretches, five miles on the bike machine, and a one or two mile walk, weather permitting.

I am a little cautious about using HRT, although I have started to use DHEA [25mg every other day, for the last four months] and found it to be helpful. I have had good luck controlling Hot Flashes through use of muscular relaxation and deep breathing techniques [see more under new thread "Hot Flashes" http://www.eunuch.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3649].

Very best regards,

Vic Cheney

mjc