Osteoporosis is a worldwide health problem that is attracting more and more attention, and its incidence has jumped to the seventh place of common diseases and multi-morbidity. At present, there is no safe and effective way to help restore osteoporotic bones to their original state, therefore, proper understanding and early prevention are particularly important. However, there are many misconceptions about the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis that should be brought to people’s attention. Myth 1: Osteoporosis is a matter for the elderly and has nothing to do with young people A recent press release from the United States shows that 2% of college-age women already suffer from osteoporosis, and 15% have sustained significant bone density reduction and may develop into osteoporosis. Since last year, the hospital has done bone density tests for 392 white-collar women under the age of 45, of whom 35.96% had reduced bone mass and osteoporosis, with the youngest being only 27 years old, and osteoporosis patients are trending younger. Analysis of the reasons, one is the lack of exercise, the second is blind weight loss, and the third is the refusal of sunlight. Adolescents are the key period of bone development, about 20 years old before the peak bone density can obtain more than 90% of the bone mass. Therefore, attention should be paid to the development of healthy habits during adolescence to accumulate sufficient bone savings in order to ensure consumption in old age and reduce the risk factors for osteoporosis. Myth 2: Osteoporosis is a natural degenerative disease and cannot be prevented Although osteoporosis is a degenerative disease, it is not unpreventable. Low bone mass is the main characteristic and diagnostic basis of osteoporosis. The bone mass of the elderly is determined by three factors: the peak bone mass reached during the maturation of bone development, the maintenance of bone mass in middle age and the rate of bone loss afterwards. If we pay attention to the accumulation of bone mass when we are young, pay attention to dietary calcium supplementation and insist on exercise in daily life, and maintain proper weight, we can greatly reduce the possibility of developing osteoporosis or significantly delay the age of onset. Therefore, the prevention of osteoporosis should start from a young age. Myth 3: Once osteoporosis occurs, it is impossible for bone density to increase again In the past two years, more than 300 patients with osteoporosis have received regular treatment at the hospital, and a significant number of patients have shown varying degrees of increase in bone density on review after one year of reasonable treatment, indicating that treatment is not just delaying bone loss, but making bone loss stop, while improving bone quality. Therefore, it is important to monitor bone density regularly for people who are susceptible to osteoporosis. If the bone density is 2-2.5 standard deviations below the mean of the normal index peak bone, it is necessary to receive formal osteoporosis treatment. Myth 4: What to eat to make up for what, calcium preferred bone soup What to eat to make up for what is not based on science. Animal bones contain calcium as well as human bones, but it is difficult to dissolve in water. Someone has done a test, with 5 kg of pork bones plus 5 kg of water, simmered in the pressure cooker for 10 hours, the result of a bowl of bone broth in the calcium content of only 10 mg, less than a bag of milk calcium content of one 20th. Therefore, drinking bone broth cannot solve the need of calcium supplementation for osteoporosis patients. At the same time, bone broth has a lot of fat dissolved in the bone, which can cause other health problems when consumed regularly. The important thing in the dietary treatment of osteoporosis is to diversify the diet and focus on the intake of calcium-rich foods, such as milk, tofu, shrimp skin, nori, etc. Myth 5: Only women are susceptible to osteoporosis Some statistics show that the amount of bone lost in a woman’s life can account for 30% to 50% of the total body bone mass, while the amount of bone lost in a man’s life is about 25%, although the incidence of osteoporosis in women is much higher than in men, but this does not mean that only women are susceptible to osteoporosis. Li Ling said that in recent years, many men also suffer from osteoporosis, alcohol abuse, smoking, hypogonadism, the use of corticosteroids, has become the four major risk factors that trigger men to suffer from osteoporosis. Myth 6: It is too late to treat osteoporosis in the elderly After 30 years of age, people should pay attention to calcium supplementation throughout their lives, not necessarily through medication when they are young, but mainly through exercise and diet. When there is a decrease in bone density or osteoporosis, medication should be administered to delay the loss of bone mass, reduce pain, and prevent the occurrence of falls and fractures. As long as they receive regular treatment, they can be effective no matter when, and the elderly can greatly improve the quality of life in their later years. Myth 7: The more calcium you take, the better. Older people aged 60 and above need to take in 800 mg of calcium a day. Excessive calcium supplementation does not turn bones, but can cause complications. The safest and most effective way to supplement calcium is to strengthen the intake of calcium in the daily diet, pay attention to a healthy lifestyle, drink less coffee and cola, and do not smoke and drink alcohol. In addition to this, sun exposure and outdoor exercise are also beneficial to calcium absorption and utilization. Patients who develop decreased bone density or osteoporosis should be treated under the guidance of a doctor and not in excess.