Bones have evolved over a long period of time to form an automatic feedback system that not only helps the body to maximize weight loss, but also regulates the strength of the structure.
However, modern people have soft and brittle bones due to the influence of lifestyle. A study published in The Lancet found that low bone mass may "spike" the risk of systemic infections.
Experts interviewed
Chen Jia, assistant director of the Osteoporosis Diagnosis and Treatment Research Center of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital
Author of this article | Life Times reporter Zhang Jian
This article is edited | Xu Wenting
With little bone mass, the risk of multiple infections throughout the body soars
Healthy bones are hard and tough, where hardness is determined by bone density deposited by calcium and toughness is determined by protein-converted collagen.
When calcium and collagen in the bones are lost, bone mass will gradually decrease or even be "hollowed out".
A study published in The Lancet by the Li Ka Shing School of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University found that osteopenia and osteoporosis not only predispose to fractures, but also increase the risk of infection and sepsis.
This study, unlike many previous studies, reveals a relationship between bone health and infection risk. The researchers began the survey in 1995 and until the end of 2020, 5,717 eligible participants (4,072 women, 1,645 men) were selected from 9,449 Hong Kong residents.
Through an in-depth analysis of the relationship between bone mineral density in three sites (lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip) and common infections (pneumonia, urinary tract infection, skin infection) and sepsis, the following conclusions were drawn:
Men have a higher incidence of pneumonia, skin infections, and sepsis than women, while women have a higher incidence of urinary tract infections;
After excluding participants with a history of osteoporotic fractures, bone mineral density of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip joint was significantly associated with the risk of infection and sepsis.
Compared with normal participants, participants with osteoporosis in any site had a 39% increased risk of pneumonia, a 38% increased risk of urinary tract infection, and a 60% increased risk of skin infection.
Osteoporosis of the femoral neck and total hip joint was significantly associated with an increased risk of common infections and sepsis, while lumbar osteoporosis was only significantly associated with an increased risk of skin infection.
The researchers explained that lumbar bone density is more sensitive to treatment and hormonal changes, bone density in the whole hip joint is more reflective of bone health, and infection caused by decreased bone density may be related to bone metabolism, specifically:
Some substances secreted by osteoblasts may participate in the immune response and have the effect of inhibiting bacterial growth;
Osteoclast may have a negative effect on immune regulation, increasing the risk of infection;
Osteoporosis occurs when osteoblasts produce bone at a slower rate than osteoclasts destroy.
Clinically, the risk of infection after osteoporotic fracture increases, especially hip fracture leads to long-term bed rest, loss of mobility, and is more likely to suffer from pneumonia, urinary tract infection, pressure ulcers, etc.
In addition, the disability and mortality rate of patients with hip fractures within one year is very high, which is also related to the increased risk of infection.
Category 3 people should have their bone density checked regularly
Osteoporosis is an age-related disease, in order to reduce the risk of various infections that may occur in the future, the following key groups are reminded to include bone density testing in their annual physical examinations:
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Postmenopausal women
Bone mass is lost faster as female estrogen levels decline, and menopause is the node where female bone mass declines rapidly.
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Men over 50 years of age
The prevalence of vertebral fracture in men over 50 years old in mainland China has reached 1/5, and men should start screening for bone density from the age of 50.
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Other high-risk groups
Including pregnant women, lactating women, those with a family history of osteoporosis, and patients taking hormones, anticoagulants and other drugs that affect bone metabolism.
In life, two early signs help you identify osteoporosis in advance:
A decrease in height of more than 3 cm after the age of 40 may be a compression fracture of the lumbar spine;
I don't do much physical work, but I always feel tired, tired, tired, tired, musculoskeletal pain, especially the pain of turning over at night, which may be osteoporosis.
If the above people find osteoporosis or osteoporosis, they should go to the osteoporosis clinic or endocrinology department in time to do dual-energy X-ray absorption bone density (DXA) test, which is the gold standard for diagnosis.
Detection values between -1 and +1 are normal, less than -1 is osteopenia, and less than -2.5 is osteoporosis.
4 principles to "save" bone mass
Childhood, adolescence, adolescence is the development period of human bone mass, most people reach the peak at the age of 30~35, and then decline year by year, and early signs of osteoporosis appear from the age of 50~60.
In general, people with osteoporosis have an exponentially increased risk of a second fracture after the first fracture. Most patients have a minor fracture of the wrist or forearm. As we age, the risk of fractures in important areas such as the lumbar spine and hip joints increases.
1
Middle-aged and elderly people should not diet
Ensure adequate intake of protein and calcium, especially middle-aged and elderly people, do not over-diet.
Milk or dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, as well as soy products such as tofu and dried tofu, are good sources of calcium and high-quality protein.
The calcium content of cabbage, rape and kale in green leafy vegetables is relatively high; The potassium, magnesium, copper, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamins A, C, and K in fruits and vegetables are also beneficial for maintaining bone health.
2
Weight exercises are not recommended for older adults
During exercise, the body's own weight can stimulate the bones and help increase bone mass, and jumping, running or resistance training are more conducive to increasing bone density.
When you are young, develop the habit of exercising regularly to increase bone mass as much as possible.
The elderly or patients with osteoporosis can choose brisk walking, jogging, tai chi, Baduan jin and other exercises, and it is not recommended to do weight-bearing exercises.
3
Daily sun exposure is guaranteed
Vitamin D is an important nutrient to promote calcium absorption and utilization, and vitamin D in the human body is mainly synthesized by the skin under light.
It is recommended to go outdoors to bask in the sun, avoid the hottest period in summer, hands, face, arms can be exposed for an average of 15~30 minutes a day, and more than 30 minutes in winter.
4
Quit smoking and alcohol
Tobacco and alcohol not only increase the burden on the lungs, liver, heart and other organs, but also affect the body's absorption of calcium, iron, vitamin B12 and other nutrients in food, accelerating bone loss.
It should be reminded that both extreme thinness and obesity are associated with reduced bone density and increased risk of fractures, so it is necessary to control weight in a reasonable range. ▲
Editor of this issue: Zhang Yu