Treatment of OsteoporosisThe goals for treating osteoporosis are to slow or stop bone loss and to prevent fractures. Your health care provider may recommend:Proper nutrition.Lifestyle changes.Exercise.Fall prevention to help prevent fractures.Medications.People who develop osteoporosis from another condition should work with their health care provider to identify and treat the underlying cause. For example, if you take a medication that causes bone loss, your doctor may lower the dose of that medication or switch you to another medication. If you have a disease that requires long-term glucocorticoid therapy, such as or chronic lung disease, you can also take certain medications approved for the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis.NutritionAn important part of treating osteoporosis is eating a healthy, balanced diet, which includes:Plenty of fruits and vegetables.An appropriate amount of calories for your age, height, and weight. Your health care provider or doctor can help you determine the amount of calories you need each day to maintain a healthy weight.Foods and liquids that include calcium, vitamin D, and protein. These help minimize bone loss and maintain overall health. However, it’s important to eat a diet rich in all nutrients to help protect and maintain bone health.Calcium and Vitamin DCalcium and vitamin D are important nutrients for preventing osteoporosis and helping bones reach peak bone mass. If you do not take in enough calcium, the body takes it from the bones, which can lead to bone loss. This can make bones weak and thin, leading to osteoporosis.Good sources of calcium include:Low-fat dairy products.Dark green leafy vegetables, such as bok choy, collards, and turnip greens.Broccoli.Sardines and salmon with bones.Calcium-fortified foods such as soymilk, tofu, orange juice, cereals, and breads.Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium from the intestine. It is made in the skin after exposure to sunlight. Some foods naturally contain enough vitamin D, including fatty fish, fish oils, egg yolks, and liver. Other foods that are fortified with vitamin D are a major source of the mineral, including milk and cereals.The chart below shows how much calcium and vitamin D you need each day.Recommended Calcium and Vitamin D IntakesLife-stage groupCalcium mg/dayVitamin D (IU/day)Infants 0 to 6 months200400Infants 6 to 12 months2604001 to 3 years old7006004 to 8 years old1,0006009 to 13 years old1,30060014 to 18 years old1,30060019 to 30 years old1,00060031 to 50 years old1,00060051- to 70-year-old males1,00060051- to 70-year-old females1,200600>70 years old1,20080014 to 18 years old, pregnant/lactating1,30060019 to 50 years old, pregnant/lactating1,000600Definitions: mg = milligrams; IU = International UnitsSource: National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, November 2018If you have trouble getting enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet, you may need to take supplements. Talk to your health care provider about the type and amount of calcium and vitamin D supplements you should take. Your doctor may check your blood levels of vitamin D and recommend a specific amount.LifestyleIn addition to a healthy diet, a healthy lifestyle is important for optimizing bone health. You should:Avoid secondhand smoke, and if you smoke, quit.Drink alcohol in moderation, no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men.Visit your doctor for regular checkups and ask about any factors that may affect your bone health or increase your chance of falling, such as medications or other medical conditions.ExerciseExercise is an important part of an osteoporosis treatment program. Research shows that the best physical activities for bone health include strength training or resistance training. Because bone is living tissue, during childhood and adulthood, exercise can make bones stronger. However, for older adults, exercise no longer increases bone mass. Instead, regular exercise can help older adults:Build muscle mass and strength and improve coordination and balance. This can help lower your chance of falling.Improve daily function and delay loss of independence.Although exercise is beneficial for people with osteoporosis, it should not put any sudden or excessive strain on your bones. If you have osteoporosis, you should avoid high-impact exercise. To help prevent injury and fractures, a physical therapist or rehabilitation medicine specialist can:Recommend specific exercises to strengthen and support your back.Teach you safe ways of moving and carrying out daily activities.Recommend an exercise program that is tailored to your circumstances.Exercise specialists, such as exercise physiologists, may also help you develop a safe and effective exercise program.MedicationsYour doctor may prescribe medications for osteoporosis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the following medications for the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis:Your health care provider will discuss the best option for you, taking into consideration your age, sex, general health, and the amount of bone you have lost. No matter which medications you take for osteoporosis, it is still important that you get the recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D. Also, exercising and maintaining other aspects of a healthy lifestyle are important.Medications can cause side effects. If you have questions about your medications, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.Bisphosphonates. Several bisphosphonates are approved to help preserve bone density and strength and to treat osteoporosis. This type of drug works by slowing down bone loss, which can lower the chance of fractures.Calcitonin. This medication is made from a hormone from the thyroid gland and is approved for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who cannot take or tolerate other medications for osteoporosis.Estrogen agonist/antagonist. An estrogen agonist/antagonist, also known as a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), and tissue-selective estrogen complex (TSEC), are both approved to treat and prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. They are not estrogen, but they have estrogen-like effects on some tissues and estrogen-blocking effects on other tissues. This action helps improve bone density, lowering the risk for some fractures.Estrogen and hormone therapy. Estrogen and combined estrogen and progestin (hormone therapy) are approved to prevent osteoporosis and fractures in postmenopausal women. Because of potential side effects, researchers recommend that women use hormone therapy at the lowest dose, and for the shortest time, and if other medications are not helping. It is important to carefully consider the risks and benefits of estrogen and hormone therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis.Parathyroid hormone (PTH) analog and parathyroid hormone related-protein (PTHrP) analog. PTH is a form of human parathyroid hormone that increases bone mass and is approved for postmenopausal women and men with osteoporosis who are at high risk for fracture. PTHrP is a medication that is also a form of parathyroid hormone. It is an injection and is usually prescribed for postmenopausal women who have severe osteoporosis and a history of multiple fractures.RANK ligand (RANKL) inhibitor. This is an inhibitor that helps slow down bone loss and is approved to treat osteoporosis in:Postmenopausal women or men with osteoporosis who are at high risk for fracture.Men who have bone loss and are being treated for prostate cancer with medications that cause bone loss.Women who have bone loss and are being treated for breast cancer with medications that cause bone loss.Men and women who do not respond to other types of osteoporosis treatment.Sclerostin inhibitor. This is a medication that treats severe osteoporosis by blocking the effect of a protein, and helps the body increase new bone formation as well as slows down bone loss., Osteoporosis-related breaks most commonly occur in the hip, wrist or spine. Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone doesn't keep up with the loss of old bone. Osteoporosis affects men and women of all races., What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens your bones. It makes your bones thinner and less dense than they should be. People with osteoporosis are much more likely to experience broken bones (bone fractures)..