Vitabiotics, the Nr1 vitamin company in England, held a meeting on the occasion of World Osteoporosis Awareness Month, hosted by Ayşen Dincer, CEO at Vitabiotics Turkey and with the participation of Expert Dietitian Selahattin Dönmez. Reminding that osteoporosis is much more than a health problem caused by osteoporosis or old age, Dincer underlined that bone health is important at all ages.
On the occasion of World Osteoporosis Awareness Month, the UK’s leading vitamin brand Vitabiotics held a meeting at the British Consulate General in Istanbul, hosted by Ayşen Dincer, CEO at Vitabiotics Turkey and with the participation of Expert Dietitian Selahattin Dönmez, to talk about the importance of vitamins and minerals in nutrition, especially bone health.
Bone destruction occurs mostly during pregnancy, lactation and menopause
Osteoporosis affects more than 200 million people worldwide. According to studies, 1 out of every 3 women and 1 out of every 5 men have a risk of bone fracture. While bone fractures cause pain, loss of function and movement, 25% of people who experience hip fractures are at risk of death within the first 6 to 12 months. Saying that there is not enough awareness about osteoporosis in the society, Ayşen Dincer, CEO at Vitabiotics Turkey reminded that osteoporosis is much more than a health problem with the return of old age and underlined that bone health is important at all ages.
Stating that the bone is a living tissue and it can be strengthened, Dincer said, “The period in which bone formation increases the most is during pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause in women; men are mostly of advanced age. Moreover, osteoporosis sometimes does not even show itself, does not cause widespread pain, so it is also known as the “silent thief”. Even spinal fractures can be seen in movies shot by chance. For this, it is necessary to protect bone health at all ages and to prevent osteoporosis before it occurs.”
74 percent of adolescents and 75 percent of adults do not consume enough milk and dairy products
According to the Turkish Dietary Guidelines, it is recommended that children, adolescence, pregnancy and breastfeeding and post-menopausal women consume 4 portions of dairy products a day, and adult and elderly individuals 3 portions a day. 1 serving of dairy product means 1 glass of milk, 1.5 glasses of ayran, 1 glass of kefir, 1 bowl of yogurt or 2 slices of cheese. However, Dincer said that 74 percent of adolescents and 75 percent of adults consume milk and dairy products below the recommended level in our country.
Reminding that adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals should be taken to slow bone loss and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, Dincer continued, “The main structure of the bone is calcium. Vitamin D plays a major role in the normal absorption of calcium and its transport to the bones. Bone fractures occur in vitamin D deficiency. 93% of the society is unaware of this role of vitamin D. Magnesium is also very important for bone health. While magnesium intake helps increase bone density, its deficiency contributes to osteoporosis. Magnesium relaxes the muscles while calcium contracts the muscles. For this reason, it is important to choose products containing calcium and its cofactors together so that the calcium taken can be carried to the bones and the muscle system can be supported.”
With motto of “Strong Bones, Healthy Tomorrows” and underlining that Vitabiotics has been conducting research in the field of bone health for more than 40 years, Dincer continued her words as follows, “In order to get a healthy age, we must raise our awareness in the field of bone health, we must definitely support the calcium intake of our children in adolescence with supplements, and we must ensure that we are 30 years old. If we are above, we should have our bone density measured. In order to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, we should give importance to lifestyle, bone-friendly diet, sunbathing and physical activity, and we should definitely add a calcium supplement to our daily meals.”
Remarking that World Osteoporosis Awareness Month has been celebrated with a greater consciousness for the last 5 years, Doctor Dietitian Selahattin Dönmez said, “Bone is a dynamic tissue, it is constantly destroyed and rebuilt, and it is also one of the rare organs that can renew itself. Even small fractures occur throughout our lives without realizing it. If we take the right calcium, magnesium and vitamin D supplements and eat a balanced diet, we can increase our bone mineral density. There are over 200 million people with osteoporosis in the world today. Turkey is a rapidly aging country. When we look at the studies, it is remarkable that 25% of the people in Turkey have osteoporosis. In order to prevent risks and have healthy bone structures, we must first do strengthening exercises. The second important point is the body mass index. Bone density decreases when the body mass index is below 20. Smoking especially reduces bone mineral density. The most important are low-calorie diets. Losing weight very quickly with low-calorie diets is one of the biggest factors in decreasing our mineral density. One of the most important things for bone health is good sleep. Sleep helps in maintaining and increasing the density of bones.”
