Exposure to elevated levels of air pollutants is associated with bone damage in postmenopausal women, according to a new study that said the effects were most evident on the lumbar spine.
High levels of niitrogen oxides in air nearly doubled the effects of normal aging on bone density in the spine, said researchers from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York Cit...
People who have sleep apnea may have another issue to worry about — weaker bones and teeth.
Known as low bone-mineral density, the condition is an indicator of osteoporosis and can increase the risk of fractures and cause teeth to become loose and dental implants to fail, according to new research from the University at Buffalo (UB) in New York.
As millions of Americans born in the baby boomer generation are already finding out, bone loss is a common sign of aging.
And now experts at the American College of Physicians (ACP) — one of the leading groups representing primary care doctors — is issuing updated guidelines on how best to prevent and treat weakening bones.
"Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characteri...
People on bone-protecting drugs often take breaks from them for a few years. Now a new study finds that a "holiday" from the medication risedronate (Actonel) may come with a slightly increased risk of hip fracture.
Researchers found that compared with a drug holiday from alendronate (Fosamax), taking a few years off from risedronate came with an 18% higher risk of hip fracture.
Examining a woman's health in midlife can predict her health decades later, researchers say.
Four specific factors -- higher body mass index (BMI), smoking, arthritis and depressive symptoms -- at age 55 are associated with clinically important declines in physical health 10 years later, a new study reports.
"Age 55 to 65 may be a critical decade," said study co-author Dr. Daniel So...
The evidence against vaping is mounting, and a new study now links e-cigarettes with an increased risk for broken bones.
Over time, vaping appears to increase the risk for fracture of the hip, spine and wrist by 46%, according to the findings. Researchers said these fractures happen from falls while standing and even from lower heights such as sitting.
Most people know that sun-sourced vitamin D is good for their bones. So could avoiding the sun to reduce skin cancer risk weaken your bones?
A new study brings a reassuring answer: "Sun-protective" behavior -- wearing long sleeves, seeking shade or using sunscreen -- "was not associated with decreased bone mineral density or increased risk of osteoporotic fracture," the researchers conclu...
A drug widely used to treat osteoporosis might reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.
Taking the drug alendronate (Fosamax) for at least eight years could potentially reduce a person's risk of type 2 diabetes by more than half, compared to people never prescribed the drug, according to findings presented Sunday at the annual meeting of the European Association for the S...
Many seniors who undergo surgery after breaking a hip continue to take opioids long after being released from the hospital, new research indicates.
After tracking nearly 30,000 U.S. older patients, investigators found that nearly 17% were still taking opioids as much as half a year after hip surgery. At three months after surgery, that figure was nearly 70%, while almost 84% of the patien...
Indoor athletes may be vitamin D-deficient, putting themselves at risk of injury and poor performance, a small study finds.
Researchers assessed vitamin D levels in players on George Mason University's men's and women's basketball teams. For the 2018-2019 season, players were given a supplement with a high dose, low dose or no vitamin D.
CT lung cancer screening can detect other serious smoking-related conditions, such as heart disease, osteoporosis and emphysema, researchers say.
Medical experts consider lung cancer screening an effective way to detect malignant tumors at earlier, more treatable stages. Now, new research suggests low-dose CT scans of the lungs could also improve diagnosis and treatment of other smoki...
Estrogen therapy may help younger women live longer after having their uterus and ovaries surgically removed, new research reports.
The study found that when women under 60 received hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after surgery, their risk of dying during the 18-year follow-up period decreased by almost one-third compared to women taking a placebo.
People who have had a stroke, and the doctors who treat them, have a lot to be concerned about: regaining mobility and function, controlling risk factors for a second stroke, guarding against depression that can result from a newly limited life.
There's another potential consequence not on everyone's list: osteoporosis.
"We don't know as much about osteoporosis and stroke ...
A lack of positive connections with others may do more than make older women lonely, with new research suggesting it can also weaken their bones.
In a long-term study of more than 11,000 postmenopausal women in the United States, lower bone mineral density was associated with higher "social strain," a measure of negative social interactions and relationships. Weaker bones were also ti...
Triclosan, a chemical commonly added to a myriad of consumer products to kill bacteria, may be bad for women's bones, a new study suggests.
"We found that higher triclosan levels in urine were associated with lower bone mineral density in the femur and lumbar spine and increased the risk for osteoporosis in U.S. women, especially postmenopausal women," said lead researcher Yingjun Li,...
Stroke survivors often face limited mobility, which quadruples their odds of osteoporosis, broken bones and falls. But most are never screened for these problems, new research reveals.
"Our study adds to previous research that found despite an increased risk, only a small number of people who have recently had a stroke are tested and treated for osteoporosis," said lead author Dr. Moi...
Osteoporosis is a threat to many women, especially after menopause. But the lead up to weak, brittle bones can start much earlier in life.
When bone density drops but isn't yet at the level of osteoporosis, it's called osteopenia. Osteopenia affects more than 33 million Americans over age 50, men and women, while 10 million have osteoporosis.