longtime talk show host Ellen Degeneres It was announced last week that he has been diagnosed with osteoporosis, as well as OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).
During her final Netflix special “For Your Consideration,” DeGeneres, 66, opened up about her triple diagnosis, saying she got a bone density test recommended by her doctor and discovered she had “full-blown osteoporosis.”
She told the audience, “I don’t even know how I’m standing right now. I’m like a human sandcastle. I could fall apart in the shower.”
DeGeneres admitted that “it’s hard to be honest about aging and still look good.”
Ellen DeGeneres joined “The Late Late Show with James Corden” as a guest on May 4, 2021. The longtime talk show host announced last week that he has been diagnosed with osteoporosis, as well as OCD and ADHD. (Terrence Patrick/CBS via Getty Images)
“I had Excruciating pain One day and I thought I had torn a ligament or something, and I got an MRI, and they said, ‘No, it’s just arthritis.’ I said, ‘How did I get that?’ And he said, ‘Oh, that’s what happens at your age,'” she said.
Dr. Gbolahan Okubadjo, a board-certified spine surgeon at The Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care in New Jersey, weighed in on DeGeneres’ diagnosis.
“Ellen still looks in great shape and looks great active and healthy,he told Fox News Digital.
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He added, “Depending on the degree of her osteoporosis, she has a great chance of living a normal life.”
“It is important for him to be well educated about the treatments lifestyle modificationsHer doctor recommended it, and be a great patient by following those instructions.”
What is osteoporosis?
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, osteoporosis is a “bone disease that develops when bone mineral density and bone mass are reduced, or when bone structure and strength are altered.”
According to the CDC, about 20% of women age 50 and older have osteoporosis.
Due to this disease, bone strength may decrease, which may increase the risk of bone fracture.
“Osteoporosis occurs when the body loses too much bone mass or does not produce enough bone to maintain a healthy density,” Okubadjo said.
Due to this the bone becomes weak or brittle.
“Although some populations are more susceptible to osteoporosis, it is often associated with aging, age-associated hormonal changes, lifestyle factors or mineral/vitamin deficiencies,” Okubadjo said.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common fractures in osteoporosis patients occur in the hip, wrist and spine. (Randy Holmes/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images; iStock)
The Mayo Clinic reports that osteoporosis can cause bones to become so weak and brittle that even mild stress, such as falling or coughing, can cause bones to break.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 20% of women age 50 and older have osteoporosis.
Symptoms and Risk Factors
According to the Mayo Clinic, bone loss in the early stages usually does not show any symptoms.
Once the bones become weak, it can result in back painLoss of height, stooped posture and easy bone fractures.
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Osteoporosis can occur equally in men and women, but the Mayo Clinic notes that older white and Asian women past menopause There is the greatest danger.
The clinic said men and women with smaller bodies are more susceptible, because “they lose bone mass as they age”.
This condition is also more likely to occur in people who have hormone imbalances, have had gastrointestinal surgery, have low calcium intake, or experience disordered eatingAccording to the same source.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Osteoporosis occurs when new bone formation does not keep up with the destruction of old bone.” (iStock)
Those who have a family history of osteoporosis may also face a higher risk.
People who have taken corticosteroid medicines for conditions such as seizures, gastric refluxCancer and transplant rejection are more sensitive, as are people with celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney or liver disease, multiple myeloma and rheumatoid arthritis.
According to Okubadjo, the condition can be diagnosed by a bone density test or a DEXA scan.,
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“Patients with osteoporosis have ‘thin’ bones, so are more likely to suffer fractures from falls or low-intensity trauma,” Okubadjo told Fox News Digital.
“Some patients have back pain, while others may have subclinical ‘microfractures’ in the spine, causing them to appear kyphotic (hunched in the upper back) due to changes in posture.”
treatment and prevention
Osteoporosis can be caused by lifestyle choices such as being sedentary, over-consumption, etc. alcohol abuse and tobacco use.
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The Mayo Clinic reports, “People who spend a lot of time sitting have a higher risk of osteoporosis than people who are more active.”
Symptoms of osteoporosis include back pain, loss of height, stooped posture and easy bone fractures. (iStock)
According to Okubadjo, exercise is important for prevention, as regular exercise can strengthen bone density. strength training activities.
“It is also important to reduce environmental and lifestyle risk factors that weaken bones, such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption,” he said.
good nutrition Experts recommend that it is also essential to promote healthy bones, especially calcium intake.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, men and women ages 18 to 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. This increases to 1,200 mg when women turn 50 and men turn 70.
Good sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products, leafy green vegetables, soy products such as tofu, calcium-fortified cereals and orange juice.
Exercise is a widely recommended way to strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis. (iStock)
According to the Clinic, adequate levels of vitamin D — which can be found in certain foods like milk and fish, as well as sunlight — can increase the body’s ability to absorb calcium and improve bone health. Is.
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Too much calcium, especially in supplements, can cause complications such as kidney stones. heart diseaseThe same source warned.
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Various medications can help treat osteoporosis by strengthening and preserving bone mass.
“In addition to vitamin D and calcium, other medications to treat osteoporosis include bisphosphonates, hormone therapy, and selective estrogen receptor modulators,” Okubadjo told Fox News Digital.
“These medications protect bone or help it build back up, in an effort to maximize bone density and reduce the risk of bone injury overall.”
Fox News Digital has contacted DeGeneres for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Ashley Hume contributed to this report.
