Without women, men will become relaxed

It is common knowledge that the biggest health risk of female hormone deficiency for postmenopausal women is osteoporosis. However, does the lack of female hormones in older men also increase the chances of osteoporosis?

A medical report published in the journal "Internal Medicine" studied 405 elderly men aged 68 to 96 over an eight-year period. They found that what was associated with the decrease in bone density in men was not male hormones, but trace amounts of estrogen that also exist in the male body.

Research has found that when estrogen levels in men decrease, bone loss occurs, just like it does in women.

As for the decrease of testosterone in men, although it is considered to be the cause of osteoporosis, testosterone and estrogen can transform into each other in the body, and when testosterone decreases, estrogen may also decrease at the same time.

It's just that one hormone directly affects bone density. Now many foreign doctors use male hormone supplementation therapy on older men, which is also helpful for improving men's bone density.

Further reading: How can men prevent osteoporosis?

1. Moderate protein intake

Long-term protein deficiency will lead to insufficient synthesis of bone matrix. If accompanied by calcium deficiency, it will accelerate osteoporosis. Appropriate protein intake can increase calcium absorption and storage, which is beneficial to bone growth and delays the occurrence of osteoporosis. However, it is not advisable to adopt a high-protein diet, because excessive protein intake can cause increased urinary calcium excretion, which is harmful to bone tissue. The daily protein intake should be 1.2-1.4 grams/kg body weight.

milk

2. Energy supply must meet physiological needs

Children and adolescents grow rapidly and their energy needs increase accordingly. Adults need to adapt their energy supply to the physiological needs of physical activity.

3. Strengthen calcium nutrition and supplement calcium scientifically

The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends that adults consume 800 mg/day of calcium and middle-aged and elderly people consume 1000 mg/day.

The first choice of food for calcium supplementation is milk and dairy products. Drinking 500 grams of milk a day can meet 3/4 of the calcium requirement for adults. Yogurt contains high calcium and is suitable for people who lack lactase and cannot tolerate fresh milk. Other foods rich in calcium include cheese, shrimp skin, sesame paste, black sesame, kelp, seaweed, black fungus, soybeans and bean products, green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, dried shrimps, melon seeds, walnuts, etc. Calcium supplements or calcium-fortified foods can also be used to supplement calcium.

4. Reduce and avoid factors that are not conducive to calcium absorption

For example, food should be fresh, light, less greasy, and avoid being too salty or containing too much plant crude fiber. Habits such as smoking, excessive drinking, and drinking strong tea and coffee all hinder calcium absorption and should be paid attention to.