New York: Anxiety may raise a woman’s risk for weak, fragile bones, according to a new study suggests for the first time ever. Many of us are chronic worriers, fretting over small things. This constant anxiety can weaken our bones and get vitamin D levels down.
It has been established earlier that anxiety, fatigue and loneliness-all synonymous with modern living-can lower bone mineral density.
As women pass menopause and age, they begin to lose bone density more rapidly, making the bones more breakable and leading to osteoporosis for some.
The main reason more women develop osteoporosis so much more often than men do is the post-menopausal plunge of estrogen, which in turn decreases bone mass.
Do Anxiety weaken bones, develops Osteoporosis in women?:
This process is inevitable and its extremity is mostly genetic, but a new Italian study found a link between women’s anxiety levels and the strength of their bones.
Under stress, the body releases a hormone, called cortisol. Cortisol gets partial credit for helping our bodies cope with the ‘fight or flight’ response, balancing our fluid retention and blood pressure while keeping less vital bodily processes like our sex drive in check.
A team of Italian researchers has found out that women with anxiety have three per cent greater risk of hip fractures and a four per cent higher risk of other fractures than men. Highly anxious women are at higher risk of low bone density, breaks and fractures.
Dr Sagar Mandada psychiatrist says, “Excess worry is perceived as distress by our body. Increased long-term stress causes unbalanced release of cortisol and has been associated with many changes in the body, especially bone and joint related problems. Stress impacts Vitamin D levels as well. One should increase the intake of Omega 3 fatty acids as it improves brain function and anxiety.”
