Osteopenia: the 5 fast facts you need to know

Could you have osteopenia? Often a precursor to osteoporosis, this common condition is estimated to affect 2 out of 3 women and can often kick in from your 30s onwards. Want to know more? Here's the skinny:

1. What is osteopenia?

Osteopenia is a condition where your bones have less mass and density than average. It's not as serious as osteoporosis, but you're still at a higher risk of breaking a bone. Developing the disease also gives you a higher risk of developing osteoporosis (Not read our blog on osteoporosis yet? Tsk, tsk! It's here).

2. Who is most likely to develop it?

Women are 4 times more likely than men to be living with osteopenia and osteoporosis, largely due to the decline in oestrogen during menopause. This is because oestrogen helps prevent bone loss. A family history of the condition, smoking and drinking alcohol, a lower than average bodyweight, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D deficiencies (THE most common nutrient deficiencies in the UK ), and medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis are all risk factors.

3. What's the difference between osteoporosis and osteopenia?

Both Osteopenia and osteoporosis mean you have lower bone density and strength than average. But osteopenia is less serious than osteoporosis, and you're at less risk of breaking a bone. It still represents a decline in your bone health though, something you'll definitely want to avoid.

4. Are there any symptoms?

Nope, sadly, much like osteoporosis, osteopenia is known as a silent disease. Often the first you know about it is when you break a bone. Super unhelpful, because as well as being incredibly painful, by this point your osteopenia is likely to be fairly advanced, and harder to reverse. So, if you're concerned, or you've got any risk factors, it's worth asking for a bone density scan. This will show your bone condition and allow Drs to calculate your risk of breaking a bone in the next 10 years.

5. Can it be treated or prevented?

If your bone density scan shows your levels are low, you could be prescribed medication. Osteopenia is currently treated with Bisphosphonates, which slow down bone breakdown and help maintain and increase bone density. While these are a godsend for some, in others they can trigger side effects ranging from stomach ulcers to kidney issues – yikes. But the good news is there are other lifestyle changes you can make that could really help.

The easiest of which is taking supplements to support your bone health like vitamins D, C, and B12 and must-have minerals calcium and magnesium. You’ll find all these goodies in our Osteoporosis bundle – everything you need to protect your bone density and slow down bone loss in one place – super simple!

To explore more ways to tackle osteopenia, click through to Part 2 of the blog here.