If you’re short and skinny (at all), and in your 20s, 30s, or 40s get your bone density checked NOW

swpocket

New member
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.
 
@swpocket 57F 4’9” I went from Osteopenia to Osteoporosis in my hips, took Caltrate and vitamin D, started lifting weights and running and reversed it back to Osteopenia again. I was told that any weight bearing exercises even walking helps. I get scanned every three years and my last scan showed I’m still “only” Osteopenic. So Im happy with that.
 
@swpocket Hey! Also an American in Australia 👋 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!

Source: am a dietitian
 
@learningcalvinist YES! 100%. (I mentioned my normal vitamin D because I believe low Vit D could point to a thyroid issue, which might explain my osteopenia.) As of now, I haven’t found any real cause for my low bone density, which is REALLY unsettling.

And correct. We have calcium levels in our blood which will steal from our bones to keep static. (Just rephrasing for anyone reading. You obviously have it exactly right.)

You’re not in Brisbane are you? 🇦🇺
 
@swpocket I’m in Brisbane and I was searching about bone density today, coincidentally- only that I have aching joints (I’m 37) and my parents both have rheumatoid arthritis (not sure if the two are even related?).

Can I ask where you had the initial scan done please?
 
@jaharris Hi, I don't know if you got an answer to this but I've recently had a non medical dexa scan at Physique Science in Newstead and then a medical one at Queensland Xray Bowen Hills.. 36 here with low bone density 🙋🏻‍♀️ no symptoms
 
@swpocket I was told in nutrition class, we start losing density in our late 20s -30s. Lifting helps with bone density. Our medical system is pretty sad. Just because someone looks amazing on your outside, certain things are missed. Just because you have one issues, other issues are missed. You most likely wouldn’t have known this until it was too late. I’m happy you found out now so you can take steps to avoid certain issues.
 
@chrismonolo Thats the thing – I’ve been mildly involved with weights since I was a teen. (At the time I discovered my osteopenia – last month – I could bench press over half my weight.)

I’m sure you’re talking about the US health system – and agreed! But living in Australia the past 3 years (American) none of my Aussie peers in their 20s, 30s, or 40s have any idea about this. Bone density screening isn’t a thing here either.

What I would give to have read this post 15 years ago.
 
@swpocket Honestly, I think it’s just medical systems everywhere. We are all programmed to see skinny as healthy. They only look at overweight people and that’s the issue. If you were overweight they would be yelling at you about weight and bone/joint health.

Things like mammograms and Pap smears are recommended for everyone when we’re young so I don’t see why checking bone density and having MRIs aren’t recommended. We shouldn’t have to wait until we’re in our 50s or when something is wrong.
 
@chrismonolo I am 55 and menopausal, so keeping the weight off is harder than before. Since starting lifting heavy and correcting my nutrition to fight my osteoporosis diagnosis, I have gained weight. I know that I am doing the right things, so I am embracing the weight as “protective”, but societal pressure to stay thin is so dysfunctional. I’ve had decades of misinformation and body dysmorphia to battle…
 
@chrismonolo Great points. This is what concerns me when I see the “I don’t want to lift weights, I just want to get as skinny as possible because I prefer the aesthetic” posts. You do you, just make an informed choice about the pros/cons that come with that decision. Bone density should absolutely be a factor.
 
@slydog Being heavier puts more pressure on your bones. The way I understand: a 200lb person has more pressure on their bones, whether they’re 6’10” or 5’1”. (I should have mentioned in my post) being below 127lbs at any height is a greater risk factor; the 127lbs was specifically mentioned in something I read recently, but I can’t find it.
 
@swpocket Dr Andrew Huberman has an amazing podcast episode on the importance of strength training- he mentions that you have to do low rep, heavy load weight training sets (somewhere between dead lifting and heavy weight lifting). He also explains how osteoporosis develops etc. I’ll add a link below. The episode is called “Dr. Peter Attia: Exercise, Nutrition, Hormones for Vitality and Longevity”
 
@swpocket Yay! He’s the best. I have to listen to his podcasts at least twice to remember like 1/4 of the information he provides but I always learn a ton!

If I remember the info correctly, the good news is that if you start doing the exercises he recommends even with osteo, it appears that it can still make a notable difference!
 
@aijayokonkwo Thanks so much! I got to the good part about the heavy lifting. I’m lucky; there’s a basic gym setup w/free weights here in my small apartment building. I’ll be sure and get proper form from my program at the bone clinic. BTW, everything I’ve heard from that clinic so far aligns with this podcast episode and vice versa.
 
@swpocket Can you clarify so for people who are in 20s, 30s - they should do scan, do weight lifting and have sufficient calcium on a daily basis? I am bit confused coz your post said you can bench press and have normal calcium & vit D and the scan shows ostopenia, so is the weight lifting and taking calcium are insufficient?
 
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