If you are being investigated for osteoporosis, a blood sample may be taken to measure certain mineral and hormone levels. Blood calcium levels are usually normal in osteoporosis. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), an enzyme from liver and bone, usually shows normal activity in osteoporosis.
A blood test can help detect whether a person has an underlying condition that could cause bone loss. However, it cannot show a person has osteoporosis by itself. Blood tests can provide information about a person's overall health and whether an underlying condition may be present.
A DEXA scan is the most common way to measure bone density. But your health care provider may order more tests to confirm a diagnosis or to find out if bone loss treatment is working. These include a calcium blood test, a vitamin D test, and/or tests for certain hormones.
The proportion of inflammatory cells in peripheral blood may changes with the progression of osteoporosis in both sexes.
Bone formation markers are measured in blood. The two markers generally used are called PINP and CTX and these are the ones recommended in international expert guidance. These are both blood tests. Some hospitals still use NTX which is a urine marker.
For various reasons, the DEXA scan is considered the "gold standard" or most accurate test. This measurement tells the healthcare provider whether there is decreased bone mass. This is a condition in which bones are more brittle and prone to break or fracture easily.
Bone Markers (calcium, phosphate, uric acid)
A bone profile blood test analyses the proteins, minerals and enzymes present in your bones. These nutrients support healthy bone structure and development.
Early warning signs of osteoporosis include low bone density, bone fractures, lost height, a curved upper back, sudden back pain, gastrointestinal issues, dental problems, and a fracture while pregnant. If you experience these warning signs, speak with your healthcare provider about a bone density test.
Your bone density can be measured by a machine that uses low levels of X-rays to determine the proportion of mineral in your bones. During this painless test, you lie on a padded table as a scanner passes over your body. In most cases, only certain bones are checked — usually in the hip and spine.
Bisphosphonates are usually the first choice for osteoporosis treatment. These include: Alendronate (Fosamax), a weekly pill.
It's not clear why people with osteoporosis may experience fatigue, but it could be because your body is lacking in vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency can contribute to both poor bone health and make you feel tired. Another connection may be between certain medications taken for osteoporosis.
As you age, your bones naturally lose some of their density and their ability to regrow (remodel) themselves. If you have osteoporosis your bones are much more fragile than they should be, and are much weaker. Most people don't know they have osteoporosis until it causes them to break a bone.
Osteoporosis is difficult to pinpoint until a bone is broken. Measuring bone density by way of a test called dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the most accurate and reliable way of assessing the strength of bones and diagnosing osteoporosis (see also DXA scan and other tests for osteoporosis).
A bone density test cannot be taken at home.
Osteoporosis is called a “silent” disease” because there are typically no symptoms until a bone is broken. Symptoms of vertebral (spine) fracture include severe back pain, loss of height, or spine malformations such as a stooped or hunched posture (kyphosis).
People with osteoporosis may not have any symptoms. Some may have pain in their bones and muscles, particularly in their back. Sometimes a collapsed vertebra may cause severe pain, decrease in height, or spinal deformity.
Osteoporosis affects about one in five women over age 50, but only one in 20 men. Among women, those of White and Asian descent are more likely to develop osteoporosis.
Men who began treatment at age 50 had a life expectancy of 18.2 years, while the life expectancy for a man beginning treatment at 75 was an average of 7.5 years. For women, the figure was 26.4 years for those beginning treatment at 50 and 13.5 years for those beginning treatment at 75.
There is no cure for osteoporosis, but the symptoms of your disease can be managed with medicines and lifestyle changes. Depending on your age, sex and medical history, your doctor will recommend different treatments to help you. The aim of treatment is to: strengthen your bones so that they are less likely to break.
Bone density tests are recommended for all women age 65 and older, and for younger women at higher-than-normal risk for a fracture.
Doctors also often test for levels of vitamin D in the blood, as many people become deficient in this so-called 'sunshine vitamin' in the winter months. Cholesterol tests to measure the levels in the blood are also commonly used and can provide a useful insight into a patient's risk of heart attack or stroke.
Liver disease and thyroid problems – A bone profile may be used for diagnosing problems with the thyroid and parathyroid which have an important role in maintaining the balance of levels of calcium phosphorus. The test may detect problems with the liver where many proteins and enzymes are produced.