Does Hypothyroidism Lead to an Increase in Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a medical condition that is characterised by fragile bones that are prone to breaking. Most of such bones are located in the hip, spine, and wrist areas. Your bones are continuously growing and repairing themselves. Factors like exercise, hormones, calcium, and vitamin D in your diet play a major role in this process.

Osteoporosis occurs when the bones lose their density. Hypothyroidism is a condition whereby the thyroid gland is not able to produce thyroid hormones. The thyroid hormone affects the rate at which your bones are being replaced over a period of time. Thus, excessive or low levels of thyroid hormone can impact your bone health in negative ways. Let’s explore the connection between hypothyroidism and osteoporosis in greater detail.

The Connection between Osteoporosis and Hypothyroidism

You suffer from a condition called hypothyroidism due to an underactive thyroid gland. It means that your thyroid gland is unable to produce the required amount of thyroid hormone. This hormone is responsible for growth and development of the body.

Some of the symptoms that you can experience if you have hypothyroidism are:

1. Fatigue

2. Increased sensitivity to cold

3. Dry skin

4. Thinning hair

5. Constipation

6. Weight gain

7. Mood swings

This condition does not adversely affect your bone health. Hence, it does not contribute to osteoporosis. But if you’re diagnosed with it, you should have regular blood tests to ensure that your thyroid hormone is functioning properly.

What Is the Connection between Thyroid Disease and Osteoporosis?

Person experiencing osteoporosis, Credit: Pixabay

Are hypothyroidism and osteoporosis related? No study formulates a link between these two conditions. An underactive thyroid does not necessarily put you at risk for developing osteoporosis. But an overactive thyroid gland can certainly do so. You might want to know about hyper and hypothyroidism osteoporosis.

Hyperthyroidism is a condition that is characterized by an overactive thyroid gland. A high level of the thyroid hormone, i.e., thyroxine, over a prolonged period of time certainly puts you at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. It speeds up the rate at which the bone loss happens. You begin to lose calcium and phosphorus, which are essential for bone health. Only when the levels of overactive thyroid hormone is regulated, will the risk of the development osteoporosis be reduced.

Untreated hyperthyroidism condition can thus make you an osteoporosis patient as well. If you have any existing thyroid condition, you might want to know what kind of doctor treats osteoporosis and hypothyroidism, before you avail treatment. Endocrinologists in hospitals deal with such conditions. So you might wnat to find out about a good endocrine clinic in your area.

Who Is at Risk of Developing Osteoporosis?

Woman experiencing osteoporosis, Credit: Pixabay

Factors that make you prone to developing osteoporosis are age, gender, and genetics. People begin to lose their bone mass after the age of 30. Hence, they must include strength training in their workout routine to preserve bone mass.

Also, women, over the age of 50, are prone to developing this condition. Their thinner bone structures make them a more likely candidate for osteoporosis. If anyone in your family like your grandparents or parents have this condition, chances are,  that you are genetically predisposed to it.

How to Prevent Yourself from Developing Osteoporosis

Diagram depicting healthy lifestyle, Credit: Pixabay

You can take the following measures if you don’t want your bones to turn fragile with age.

1. Eat a well-balanced diet that is rich in calcium and vitamin D.

2. Include strength training into your workout regime and ensure that you consume enough protein.

3. Avoid smoking or drinking excessively.

4. Take supplements of calcium and vitamin D if you think that your diet is unable to provide you these micro nutrients.

5. Maintain a healthy body weight and avoid eating junk and processed food.

Reach out to your doctor in case you think you suffer from an under active or overactive thyroid condition. Don’t delay treatment as effectively combating these hormonal complications in the initial stages will keep you healthy in the long run.