The silent disease sneaking up on men and 4 ways to battle it

Turns out that more men need to bone up on their bone density.Some 2 million US men suffer from osteoporosis, a slow-developing “silent disease” that makes bones weak and brittle, according to the National Spine Health Foundation.Another 16 million men have osteopenia, which describes mild osteoporosis or pre-osteoporosis.Despite its prevalence, a new survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that only 1% of men are concerned about low bone density.No bones about it — this could be a grave error.Falls are the leading cause of injuries and injury-related deaths in adults 65 and older.Even minor falls can result in bone fractures if there has been a decrease in bone density and strength.“Unfortunately, there are no warning signs before it presents with a fracture,” Dr.

Paul Lewis, an interventional radiologist at Wexner, told The Post of osteoporosis.The good news is that there are prevention strategies — Lewis has four recommendations.First, men should start discussing testosterone with their doctor at the age of 30.Testosterone tends to decrease with age.Low T contributes to weaker bones and increases the risk of osteoporosis in men.Workouts that build bone density and improve balance should also be on their radar in their 30s and 40s.Think weight-bearing exercises like walking, hiking and stair climbing, resistance training with weights or bands and yoga or other balance exercises.“Some exercises can combine into helping your heart as well, such as pickleball, tennis or other sports,” said Lewis, an associate professor at Ohio State’s College of Medicine.“Other practical options are walking the golf course instead of riding the cart, taking the stairs instead of the elevator [and] actively playing with your children or pets.”Lewis warns that not participating in resistance training can mean a loss of up to 3% of bone mass a year.Don’t push too hard, regardless of the activity — Lewis cautions that d...