48F. 5’3”. 120lbs. Very healthy. (Never smoked. Minimal drinking; 1 drink/week average. Omnivore.) Very fit. (Jog 9k/hour. Can easily bench 30kg / 66lbs.) No asthma. No thyroid issues. No celiac. Good bloodwork. Normal calcium & Vit D levels.
Currently pretty shocked. Got a DEXA scan ($70 AUD which is about $45 US) for giggles – my competitive friend and I wanted to see who has lower body fat. Lol. AND WE’RE BOTH OSTEOPENIC. (She’s just 27 years old btw.)
Didn’t even know the body comp would measure our bone densities. Wasn’t on my radar. (Why would it be?!)
After that, my GP ordered me a more official (DXA) scan from the radiology place. Result: effing osteopenia. I got referred to a special “bone clinic” and they did their own scan. Result: osteopenic! (I was still hoping this was all some huge mistake.)
What I’ve learned: We build bone until we’re 30ish. (So if you’re in your 20s and osteopenic, you can REALLY do something about it. But bone takes a long time to build, so don’t put it off.) After 30, bone density tapers off for the rest of your life.
I HAVE NO SYMPTOMS. And I wouldn’t know anything about this, had I not chosen to have a body comp scan for funsies. Undetected, my bone mass would have continued to decrease for a few decades, until I had a bone easily break, or until I developed one of those humps on my back! (Dowager’s hump.)
As it stands now, I can probably prevent osteoporosis and that horrible hump. But it’s going to take specific exercises (I’m in a program), and a conscious commitment to ingesting 1,200mg of calcium per day – the more from food/drink the better. (Your body can only absorb ~400mg at a time, so spread it out.)
I’m shocked. And honestly, offended – considering how fit and healthy I consider myself. I’m baffled that bone density scans aren’t commonplace for women in their 20s and 30s. ESPECIALLY SHORT, THIN WOMEN. (Men and taller / heavier folks aren’t at as much risk.)
I’ve learned all this very recently and am still in my shock-and-disbelief phase. If you can build on my current knowledge & share your experiences, I could really use that right now.
Please little ladies, get a bone density test in your 20s and 30s. I’d give anything for a time machine.
Currently pretty shocked. Got a DEXA scan ($70 AUD which is about $45 US) for giggles – my competitive friend and I wanted to see who has lower body fat. Lol. AND WE’RE BOTH OSTEOPENIC. (She’s just 27 years old btw.)
Didn’t even know the body comp would measure our bone densities. Wasn’t on my radar. (Why would it be?!)
After that, my GP ordered me a more official (DXA) scan from the radiology place. Result: effing osteopenia. I got referred to a special “bone clinic” and they did their own scan. Result: osteopenic! (I was still hoping this was all some huge mistake.)
What I’ve learned: We build bone until we’re 30ish. (So if you’re in your 20s and osteopenic, you can REALLY do something about it. But bone takes a long time to build, so don’t put it off.) After 30, bone density tapers off for the rest of your life.
I HAVE NO SYMPTOMS. And I wouldn’t know anything about this, had I not chosen to have a body comp scan for funsies. Undetected, my bone mass would have continued to decrease for a few decades, until I had a bone easily break, or until I developed one of those humps on my back! (Dowager’s hump.)
As it stands now, I can probably prevent osteoporosis and that horrible hump. But it’s going to take specific exercises (I’m in a program), and a conscious commitment to ingesting 1,200mg of calcium per day – the more from food/drink the better. (Your body can only absorb ~400mg at a time, so spread it out.)
I’m shocked. And honestly, offended – considering how fit and healthy I consider myself. I’m baffled that bone density scans aren’t commonplace for women in their 20s and 30s. ESPECIALLY SHORT, THIN WOMEN. (Men and taller / heavier folks aren’t at as much risk.)
I’ve learned all this very recently and am still in my shock-and-disbelief phase. If you can build on my current knowledge & share your experiences, I could really use that right now.
Please little ladies, get a bone density test in your 20s and 30s. I’d give anything for a time machine.
agree with everything you’ve said and would also like to add that testing blood calcium (especially) and vitamin D is not a good indicator of bone density either! If you’re getting insufficient calcium in your diet, your body starts withdrawing from your bone stores, hence a falsely elevated calcium in your blood. The tried and true test is through a DEXA. I wish there was more education that demonstrates the importance of calcium and vitamin d at every stage of life!
no symptoms
. I’ll make a note to book it in