Osteoporosis runs in my family. Is there anything I can do to prevent it from happening to me?

Coffee drinkers who do not get adequate calcium are more likely to have decreased bone mineral density than those who take calcium supplements, say researchers from the Department Of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego.

In a recent study evaluating post-menopausal women 50-98 years of age , researchers found a statistically significant association between increasing lifetime intakes of caffeinated coffee and decreasing bone mineral density of both hip and spine.

However, the investigators reported that bone density did not vary with lifetime coffee intake in women who reported consuming at least 500-1000mg calcium per day during most of their adult lives.

Osteoporosis testing can be cleanly, safely and effectively done through urine analysis. This low cost non-invasive diagnostic test, looks at the collagen levels in the urine to determine bone density loss. Once bone loss has been established, it can be arrested with proper nutritional supplementation. Weight bearing exercises like weight training or low impact aerobics can help in maintaining bone density as well. Currently, most calcium supplements on the market are not absorbed by the body. The Hydroxyappetite form of calcium is easily absorbed and therefore best utilized.