Bone loss

High blood pressure can result in bone loss or osteoporosis. It causes a greater amount of calcium than normal to be lost through urine excretion which reduces bone mass.

This weakens the bones and increases the risk of fractures.

Bone mass is constantly renewed during our youth but this slows down as we age which means that our bones lose density and strength. It is a risk for both sexes but especially so for women.

Osteoporosis is more of a risk for women past the menopause. This is mainly due to the fact that women have a smaller and lighter skeleton than men which means less bone mass.

Another factor is changing hormone levels. The female hormone oestrogen protects women against bone loss but levels of this fall after the menopause. This results in reduced bone mass which increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Causes of bone loss

There are several causes of osteoporosis which include:

• Excess alcohol consumption
• Smoking
• Being underweight and/or excessive exercising
• Sedentary lifestyle
• High blood pressure
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Family history of bone fractures/osteoporosis
• Hormone disorders such as an overactive thyroid
• An early menopause

Men are at less risk of osteoporosis but they can develop it which may be attributed to low levels of testosterone. But if a man has high blood pressure then he is at an increased risk of bone loss.

It may be the case that high salt levels in your diet causes your blood pressure to rise which then speeds up the process by which calcium is lost by the body. This weakens your bones and increases the likelihood of a fracture.

So it is a good idea to reduce your salt intake.

Symptoms of bone loss

This is a condition which develops over a long period of time. As a result of this the only hint that something is wrong is if you fracture a bone after a minor fall or knock.

This is more of an issue for an older person. Older people tend to have weaker bones than younger people which mean that they are a greater risk of a fracture. So, the only symptoms you will get are those associated with a broken bone.

Treatment of bone loss

These include eating healthily, taking exercise particularly weight bearing exercise such as walking, running or tennis, reducing salt intake and regulating your blood pressure.

If you have high blood pressure then get this checked out as this can lead to bone loss.

Find out more about your blood pressure in this guide.