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My dad broke his leg a year or two ago. He had a follow up appointment recently and they advised the break had healed ok but he had low bone density. They recommended taking Calcium supplements and that seemed to be that.
However I'm pretty sure he has a chronic undiagnosed bowel condition. Calcium deficiency can be caused by conditions affecting the small intestine, as that's where calcium is taken in. Coeliac disease is one possible cause.
What else could cause the low bone density/calcium deficiency?
IANAD but, off the top of my head...
Thyroid problems
Steroids, prescribed or otherwise
Crohns disease
Lack of calcium in diet
If it's a long term and serious calcium deficiency they will need to give your dad something to aid the calcium uptake as well, otherwise it can just go straight through without being absorbed, I take Alendronic acid to help with that
Old folk's bone density reduces with age - with women I think this starts happening around the menopause. I know that men don't see the same rate of decline as women, but it still declines over time
The major factor in determining your bone density is whether you had any in the first place.... ie: how much bone density you put on when you were younger. This then determines where your starting point on the deterioration curve is. This is mostly dependent on lifestyle and diet during your younger years - I think you have amassed most of your bone density by the time you finish puberty.
Calcium and vitamin D supplements are the answer, but if you father is having absorption issues, you might want to talk to your doctor about IV alternatives - but it depends on your dads T score
Ad above Vitamin D is important and easy to be deficient in.
Low bone density is also linked to a lack of impact exercise - does he do much walking.
Also, in cyclists this is exacerbated by sweating a lot which leaches calcium as well as salts and is proven to lead to low bone density (as it's typically associated with people who do little impact exercise).
did they give him vit D to take alongside the calcium - that aids absorbtion.
"peak bone mass" - that's the term I was rummaging around in my head for
Has he seen a gastroenterologist? They are pretty good on how the gut interacts with the rest of the body.
Has he seen a gastroenterologist?
He has seen people over the years, but I think it was inconclusive. I suspect that's because of a reluctance on his part to get to the bottom of it (excuse the pun). I don't think he's ever done an elimination diet or similar. In fact, I can't remember him having any treatment either, even though once he had emergency surgery as they feared a blocked intestine due to the pain he was in. It could be as simple as an intolerance though.
He's 66 so it could be due to age. I've noticed he's now regularly napping in an afternoon. Also if we're out for
walk he lags behind now. Generally active though, gardening, walks, volunteering for outdoor work etc. Him breaking his leg was a surprise as it happened when he slipped over on his bike. Seemed possible but unexpected as it was at very slow speed.
Are there any other deficiencies ?
Calcium deficiency
Iron deficiency
Certain vits.
Inability to gain weight despite eating silly amounts
Using the loo alot.
My dad had all the above and after about 2 years of fighting he was eventually diagnosed coeliac. It's not a huge surprise as it runs in the family to develop it with age but the doctors seemed reluctant to go do that route even though it prevalent in family history and often herreditory
I would strongly advise him to see a gastroenterologist, they are physicians and they are brilliant at working out how what's happening in the gut is affecting the general health. My cycling buddy is one and he has an amazing brain, but he can't fix a bicycle though.
Iron, calcium and B12 for me all thanks to crohns.
Coeliac disease is very commonly undiagnosed and will result in low calcium and iron uptake. The blood test is now pretty reliable so no reason not to know one way or the other for the price of a vial of blood. Osteoporosis isn't the worse result of undiagnosed coeliac either...