ASTHMA AND OSTEOPOROSIS

It may seem strange that osteoporosis, a disease characterized by the progressive loss of bone mass and density, could be associated with asthma.   Asthma itself is not the threat to bone health, but some of the medications that are used to treat this chronic disease can be.  Corticosteroids are the real culprits, especially when taken by mouth.  These drugs can decrease the amount of calcium absorbed from food, thereby inhibiting the formation of new bone tissue.  When medications containing corticosteroids are inhaled rather than ingested, they cause less threat to the human skeleton.  Since corticosteroid therapy is often a necessary part of effective asthma control, allergists prescribe the lowest possible dose to manage asthma symptoms.

P.S.   There are many activities than can help strengthen bones:  walking, aerobics, dancing, and weight-training.

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