As the saying goes, "People shrink three inches as they age." Losing a few centimeters compared to youth isn't a major concern, but the real issue lies in what often hides behind this height loss: osteoporosis. "The primary culprit behind height loss in the elderly is vertebral compression caused by osteoporosis. This is merely one part of the harm osteoporosis inflicts. If left unnoticed and untreated, it can lead to more severe consequences like fractures."Dr. Wu Wen, Director of Endocrinology at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, recommends that individuals over 50 undergo regular bone density screenings. "The test costs around 200 yuan and is covered by medical insurance, so I advise those at risk to get checked."
Severe Height Loss? Get Checked at the Hospital
While helping her 60-year-old mother cross the street, Xiaolin suddenly noticed her mother—once nearly her own height—was now significantly shorter. Recalling her mother's frequent complaints of backaches and leg pains over the past two years, Xiaolin realized she had neglected her mother for too long, consumed by work and her own family.Recalling how her neighbor Aunt Wang, who was around her mother's age, had recently been hospitalized for a fracture caused by osteoporosis, Xiaolin grew deeply concerned for her mother. That day, she took her mother to the hospital for a checkup. Sure enough, her mother was diagnosed with osteoporosis due to severe bone loss.
It is reported that osteoporosis affects a vast population in China, particularly postmenopausal women over 50. Approximately one in three women in this group experiences fractures due to osteoporosis, especially hip fractures.
"After middle age, people gradually lose height. By old age, most individuals are several centimeters shorter than in their youth, with some losing as much as ten or more centimeters.The primary reason is that the load-bearing capacity of elderly bones weakens. Vertebrae become wedge-shaped or flattened, reducing the spine's support and causing it to curve, resulting in shorter stature. Frequent vertebral compression easily leads to compression fractures, with osteoporosis being the main culprit."Wu Wen explains, "Height loss is only one aspect of osteoporosis's dangers. More alarmingly, without timely treatment, it can lead to more severe consequences like fractures. Hip fractures, in particular, can cause patients to lose their ability to care for themselves. Prolonged bed rest increases the risk of complications such as infections and cardiovascular diseases, which can be life-threatening in severe cases."
Treatment: Calcium supplementation alone is insufficient; medication is also required
With the increasing awareness of osteoporosis in recent years, public knowledge about the disease has significantly improved. Many people know that drinking more milk and supplementing calcium can help prevent osteoporosis."Lifestyle approaches like calcium supplementation alone are insufficient to prevent bone loss," explained Wu Wen. Human bones contain two types of cells: osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) and osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells). As their names suggest, osteoblasts promote new bone formation while osteoclasts break down old bone. When osteoclast activity exceeds osteoblast activity, bone loss accelerates, leading to progressively porous bones.Once osteoporosis develops, reduced bone density leaves bones porous like sieves. Supplementing calcium at this stage is like pouring sand into a sieve—it leaks out as quickly as it's added, often failing to achieve the desired effect. For calcium to be absorbed effectively, the porous holes must be promptly sealed. This approach plugs the leaks and enhances calcium absorption.Wu Wen points out that bisphosphonate supplementation is currently a clinically proven effective method for preventing and treating osteoporosis, significantly improving bone quality and reducing fracture risk.
"Clinically, we observe many elderly osteoporosis patients avoid seeking medical help, partly due to cost concerns, opting instead to buy calcium supplements at pharmacies. In reality, numerous osteoporosis treatments—including diagnostic tools—are now covered by medical insurance. While bisphosphonates cost more than calcium tablets, they are also insured. Additionally, bone density testing falls within insurance coverage."He recommends that individuals over 50 undergo regular bone density screenings at hospitals to monitor their skeletal health proactively.