Osteopenia glossary | Osteoporosis glossary

Osteopenia glossary | Osteoporosis glossary A - C .Terms that you will come across as you read about bone loss.

• AAA- calcium. Active Absorbable Algel Calcium- a highly absorbable calcium preparation that research has show to increase bone density even in the elderly. This form is sold in the United States under the name Advacal
• Absorb – to draw nutrients from the intestinal tract
• Aldendronate – a prescription medication used to treat bone loss. It belongs to the family of drugs called bisphosphonate.
• Alkaline phosphates – a marker found in blood that indicates activity by the cells that build bone, the Osteoblasts See: Alkaline Phosphates
• Amenorrhea – cessation of menstrual periods, something that leads to low bone density.. Low caloric intake and excessive exercise are two things that can lead to amenorrhea.
• Anabolic – a protein building metabolic action that makes complex substances from simple ones.
• Anabolic steroids – synthetic hormones that produce a substance the mimicks testosterone and other male hormones.
• Androgen – male sex hormone
• Androstenedione – natural steroidal hormone produced in fatty tissue where it is converted into estrogen.
• Antiestrogens – drugs and compounds that minimxe the negative effects of estrogen in certain tissue.

• Beta estradiol – a type of estrogen used in Hormone Replacement Therapy
• Bisphosphonates – a group of compounds used to counter bone breakdown.
• Blood calcium – level of dissolved calcium in the blood stream.
• Bone mineral density (BMD) measure of bone strength.
• Bone modeling – the process of bone renewal where old bone is broken down and removed by Osteoclasts and new bone is formed by Osteoblasts.
• Bone resorption – remove of old bone by Osteoclasts.
• Calcitonin – hormone produced by the thyroid that helps control calcium levels by slowing bone loss. See: Calcitonin
• Calcitriol – the active form of Vitamin D.
• Calcium absorption – that calcium crosses from the intestines into the blood stream.
• Calcium carbonate – a common form of calcium used in many calcium supplements.
• Calcium citrate – a highly absorbable form of supplemental calcium.
• Calcium gluconate – a form of calcium which is used in some supplements
• Calcium lactate – a form of calcium found in some supplements.
• Calcium Paradox- a theory about bone loss: a deficiency of calcium in the blood leads to calcium being deposited in soft tissue.
• Calcium phosphate dibasic – an uncommon source of calcium in supplements.
• Cartilage – a form of connective tissue made of collagen; non bony part of the skeleton
• Caucasian – usually denotes being of European ancestry; comes from Caucasus area.
• Chemical castration – a drug induced suppression of testosterone production sometimes used as a treatment for prostrate cancer.
• Chronic inflammatory disease – persistent disease usually characterized by inflammation and sometimes causing enlargement of lymph glands.
• Collagen – tough, fibrous protein found in the structure of bones, tendons and connective tissue.
• Collagen cross-link – a measure of bone resorption.
• Complementary medicine – use of both alternative and conventional medicine.
• Conjugated estrogens – type of estrogen used in Hormone Replacement Therapy.
• Cortical bone – hard, outer bone
• Corticosteroid medications – drugs which stimulate natural corticosteroid hormones produced in the adrenal glands.
• Crohn’s disease – chronic inflammation of the digestive tract.
• Cushing’s disease – abnormally high levels of corticosteroid hormones in the blood.
• Cystophyllum fusforme – a seaweed used in producing AAA calcium. Dairy – milk, milk products and eggs.

Osteopenia glossary | Osteoporosis glossary D - F .

• Dehydroepiandrosterone – DHEA, a precursor of testosterone
• Dexamethasone – corticosteroid medication.
• DHEA – Dehydroepiandrosterone, precursor of testosterone.
• Disphosphonates – another name for bisphosphonates.
• Dolomite- a source of calcium.
• Dowager’s Hump – a curve in the upper back that causes the neck and head to hang forward. See: Kyphosis.
• Drolozifern – a drug, type of SERM.
• Ehlers-danlos syndrome – a genetic collagen disorder that leads to bone loss.
• Elemental calcium – pure calcium
• Endocrine glands – glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.
• ERT – Estrogen replacement therapy
• Estradiol - a powerful form of estrogen
• Estrone – a type of estrogen used in Estrogen Replacement Therapy
• Etidronate – a bisphosphonate, the first one available commercially

Osteopenia glossary | Osteoporosis gloassary G - J .

• GNRH agonists – synthetic hormones that are like those released by the hypothalamus gland
• Gonadotropin – hormones that stimulate activity in the gonads[ ovaries and testes]
• Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists – GNRH agonists [see above].
• Homoncysteinuria – a disorder of enzyme that leads to bone abnormalities etc.
• HRT – Hormone replacement therapy.
• HGH – human growth hormone, a powerful hormone produced by the pituitary gland.
• Hydroxyproline – a marker for the rate of bone turnover.
• Hypercalcemia – abnormally high calcium levels in the blood.
• Hypogonadal osteoporosis – Osteoporosis caused by low levels of testosterone.
• Hypoparathydroidism – under active parathyroid glands.
• Hysterectomy – surgical removal of uterus and sometimes the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
• Ibandronate – a bisphosphonate drug used to treat Osteoporosis.
• Idiopahtic hypercalcinuria – abnormally high calcium levels in the urine of unknown origin.
• Idoxifene – medication, a type of SERM
• Impact loading exercise – exercise movement that stimulates bone growth.

Osteopenia glossary | Osteoporosis gloassary K - M .

• Kyphosis – a hunch back, curved upper spine. SEE: Kyphosis .
• Lactose- milk sugar.
• Lactose intolerance – inability to digest lactose
• Malabsorbtion – difficulty absorbing nutrients
• Marfan’s syndrome – genetic disorder that leads to skeleton abnormalities
• Medroxprogesterone acetate – form of progestin
• Mesgesterol acetate – form of progestin
• Methotrexate – an anticancer drug.
• Milk-alkalai syndrome - high blood calcium levers due to ingesting excessive milk and calcium drugs.
• Multiple sclerosis – a progressive nervous system disease. To read of its connection with bone loss go to: Multiple Sclerosis and Osteopenia .

Osteopenia glossary | Osteoporosis glossary N - P .

• Norethindronte acetate – a form of progestin.
• Norgestrel – a from of progestin.
• Osteoblast – bone building cell
• Osteocalcin – protein made by osteoblasts
• Osteoclast – cells that break bone down
• Osteogenesis imperfecta – genetic defect that leads to brittle bones
• Osteolytic bone disease – bone tissue dissolves
• Osteomalacia – disease of soft bones
• Osteopenia medications: Evista
• Osteophyte – accretions of calcium around bones, joints

Osteopenia glossary O - Z

• Osteoporotic collapse – the fracture or collapse of a bone under normal weights
• Osteoporoitc fractures – fractures that occur because of weakened bone
• Paget’s disease – a disease that interferes with normal bone processing found in middle aged and older persons.
• Parathyroid hormone – hormone from the parathyroid glad that is involved in calcium metabolism and the bone resoption cycle.
• Peak bone mass – the time in a person’s life when s/he has the most dense bones. It usually occurs in one’s thirties.
• PERT – progestin/estrogen replacement theraphy; sometimes called hormone replacement therapy HRT.
• Phytoestrogens – estrogen like compound derived from certain plants.
• Polymethyl-methylacrylate – type of cement used during percutaneous vertebroplasty.
• Postmenopausal osteoporosis – Osteoporosis caused by the loss of estrogen after menopause.
• Prednisone – a corticosteroid medication often associated with bone loss.
• Primary hyperparathyroidism – caused by overactive parathyroid glands.
• Progesterone – hormone produced by ovaries. Progestin – a synthetic progesterone.
• Prolactin – hormone produced by pituatry gland that stimulates mammary glands, produces milk.

Osteopenia glossary | Osteoporosis gloassary Q - T .

• Raloxifene – a selective estrogen receptor modulator drug used in the treatment of Ostoeoporosis.
• Secondary hyperparathyroidism – excessive parathyroid hormone circulating because of low levels of calcium in the blood..
• Secondary osteoporosis – bone loss caused by some other disease that affects bone metaboloism.
• Selective estrogen receptor modulators – SERMS, nonhormonal pharmaceutical compounds that mimic the action of estrogen. See: Evista
• Sprue – intestinal disorder that prevents the absorption of nutrients.
• Strontium – a mineral that has been used to increase bone density. See: Strontium

• Tamoxafen – a SERM
• Testosterone – androgen (male) hormone. Low levels are often associated with Osteopenia in men.
• Trabecular – inner bone. Loss of trabecular bone can lead to fracture during ordinary daily activity such as rising from a chair.
• Tricalcium phosphate – a calcium salt.
• T-score – average bone mineral density of those during their peak bone mass years.

• Tyrosine – an amino acid.

Osteopenia glossary | Osteoporosis glossary U - z .

• Urinary calcium – calcium excreted in urine.
• Vertebrae – individual bones of the spine.
• Vertebral compression fracture – collapse of a vertebra. This can lead to Kyphosis or Dowagers Hump.
• Vertebroplasty – a nonsurgical procedure to stabilize the spine after vertebral fractures. See: Vertebroplasty
• Vitamin D – an essential vitamin for bone building and growth. See: Vitamin D
• Vitamin K – a vitamin needed for bone building. See: vitamin K

• Zometa – a bisphosphonate drug See: Zometa

End of Osteopenia glossary.

Sources for this Osteopenia glossary | Osteoporosis glossary :

Stephen Schettinin, The Osteoporosis Remedy. Putnams 2001.

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