Evidence-based, plain-English articles on bone health, menopause, weight-loss medications, muscle health and radiation-free screening.
Can you get a bone density scan without a GP referral in the UK? On the NHS, no. Privately, often yes. How self-referral works, what to check, and REMS.
Calcium-rich foods chart for UK adults: milk, cheese, yoghurt, sardines, tofu, kale and more, with portions and mg. How to reach 700mg a day, dairy-free too.
The Depo-Provera injection can lower bone density, but it usually recovers after stopping. UK advice on under-18s, 2-year reviews, side effects, alternatives.
Osteoporosis itself is not painful. Broken bones are. Why fractures hurt, how long pain lasts, the UK pain relief options and when back pain needs urgent help.
A fragility fracture is a break from a fall from standing height or less. Why it predicts the next one, what a fracture liaison service does and how to ask.
What hip fracture recovery looks like in the UK: surgery within a day of arriving, getting up the day after, rehab, going home and preventing another break.
Most broken bones take 6 to 12 weeks to heal. Typical times for the wrist, arm and hip, the stages of healing, what helps, and why bone health matters next.
Ibandronic acid is a monthly osteoporosis tablet or 3-monthly injection. How to take it (the 60-minute rule), who it suits, side effects and UK safety advice.
Steroids, some breast and prostate cancer drugs, anti-seizure medicines, PPIs and others can weaken bones. What UK guidance says, and why not to stop them.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw is rare on osteoporosis medicines, about 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000. Risk factors, symptoms, dental advice and why not to stop.
Safe posture exercises for osteoporosis and a curved upper back, step by step from UK guidance, plus the movements to modify and when to see a physio.
Raloxifene is a daily tablet that cuts spine fracture risk after menopause. How it works, blood clot and stroke warnings, side effects and who it suits (UK).
Risedronate sodium is a weekly or daily osteoporosis tablet. How to take it (empty stomach, upright, 30 minutes), side effects, and vs alendronic acid.
A fractured vertebra from osteoporosis usually heals in 6 to 12 weeks. UK guidance on pain relief, sitting and sleeping, when surgery helps and life expectancy.
Vitamin D deficiency often has no symptoms. Signs to watch for (bone pain, muscle weakness, aches), who's at risk in the UK, testing and when to see a GP.
Vitamin K2 explained: what it is, food sources like natto and cheese, the mixed evidence for bones and fractures, and why it's unsafe with warfarin. UK guide.
Osteoporosis is a condition that makes bones fragile and more likely to break. What causes it, why it is silent, how the NHS diagnoses it and how it is treated.
Zoledronic acid (Aclasta) is a once-a-year osteoporosis drip. Who gets it, what happens on the day, flu-like after-effects, checks, dental advice and duration.
A female bone density chart by age doesn't work as most expect: T-score ranges never shift with age. Which score applies at each life stage, and why.
Bone health in your 40s sits in a guideline blind spot. What NICE's 2026 rules say about under-50s, why menopause status matters, and risk factors to check.
A bone mineral density (BMD) test measures grams of mineral per square centimetre of bone. What g/cm² really means, and why your body size affects it.
Do calcium supplements prevent osteoporosis fractures? What the major trials found, who benefits, where the benefit disappears, and what UK guidance says.
Bone health screening as an employee benefit: what each member of staff receives, how a workplace assessment day runs, and what to confirm before booking.
Running and bone density: running is weight-bearing but loads the skeleton in one narrow pattern. What the research says, and the strength work that helps.
Osteoporosis spine exercises after a spinal fracture: UK consensus guidance on safe loading, back-extensor and posture work, and which movements to adapt.
Sarcopenia on the NHS: there's no screening programme and diagnosis is rarely recorded. What a GP can genuinely do, how falls services fit in, and the gaps.
Sarcopenia treatment: there's no licensed drug, but resistance training plus enough protein works. The UK evidence, the doses, and how to tell it's working.
Weight-bearing exercise for osteoporosis is widely misunderstood: impact is a subset, resistance is different, and not all of it builds bone. What counts.
DEXA scan results interpretation, line by line: sites measured, BMD in g/cm², T-score and Z-score, which rows to ignore, and why spine and hip disagree.
The recognised sarcopenia symptoms — a weaker grip, pushing up out of a chair, slower walking, stairs — and the measurable thresholds sitting behind each one.
Sarcopenic obesity is excess body fat and low muscle together, and because the scales can stay still it's easy to miss. How it's defined, diagnosed and managed.
What is sarcopenia? A progressive muscle disorder defined since 2018 by strength, not size. What it means, who it affects and how it's diagnosed in the UK.
FRAX and NOGG explained: a FRAX percentage only matters once it meets a NOGG threshold. The UK pathway, thresholds by age, and what each risk band triggers.
Is a -3.5 T-score bad? It's in the osteoporosis range, one standard deviation below the -2.5 threshold, but it isn't automatically 'severe osteoporosis'.
FRAX score interpretation: your result is two percentages, not a verdict. What the numbers mean, the UK risk categories, and what NOGG says happens at each.
How a FRAX score is calculated: age, sex, BMI and clinical risk factors, optionally plus hip bone density. Every input the UK guideline lists, and why.
How to use the official FRAX calculator in the UK, step by step: what each question means, how to answer it, the two percentages it returns and what to do next.
Is there a blood test for bone density? No: density can't be measured from blood. What blood tests can tell you about your bones, and what measures density.
Does bone broth build bone or help osteoporosis? An evidence-based UK look at its collagen and calcium content, the lead question, and what protects bone.
How much calcium is too much? UK adults need about 700mg a day, ideally from food. The NHS supplement limit (1,500mg/day), the risks and the heart debate.
Can a DEXA scan detect fractures? It predicts fracture risk rather than showing acute breaks (those need an X-ray), but VFA can spot silent spinal fractures.
A DEXA body composition scan measures fat, lean muscle, bone mineral content and visceral fat. How it works, why it's a reference method, and how it compares.
How accurate is a DEXA scan for body fat percentage? DEXA vs calipers, BIA and the Bod Pod, and why hydration and the machine can change your reading.
The falls prevention exercises with the best evidence: strength and balance training and Tai Chi, plus home-hazard, vision and medication checks. A UK guide.
The female athlete triad links low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction and low bone density in active women. How it develops, fracture risk and care.
Low grip strength is linked to more falls, fractures and frailty, but it's a marker, not a cause. How it's measured, sarcopenia cut-offs, and if training helps.
What is a DEXA scan? It passes two X-ray energies through the body to measure bone mineral density and give your T-score. How the scanner works, simply.
Is walking good for osteoporosis? It's weight-bearing and great for balance, but the evidence that it builds bone is weak. What UK guidelines say to add.
Magnesium helps build bone and activate vitamin D, but does it prevent fractures? A measured UK guide to magnesium for bones, food sources and supplements.
Osteosarcopenia is when osteoporosis and sarcopenia combine. Why low bone density and low muscle share causes, how they raise falls and fracture risk, and care.
Trials suggest around 50g of prunes a day (5-6 prunes) helps preserve hip bone density in postmenopausal women. The UK evidence, the dose and honest caveats.
Resistance training builds and preserves bone as muscles pull on the skeleton. The evidence, including the LIFTMOR trial, and how to start safely.
Is yoga safe for osteoporosis? It aids balance, posture and falls prevention, but end-range spinal bending and forceful twists can risk a vertebral fracture.
Bisphosphonates are first-line osteoporosis drugs: alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate and zoledronate. How they work, side effects and drug holidays.
Bone turnover markers (CTX, P1NP) are blood tests of how fast bone is remodelled, not bone density. What they measure, what they don't, and UK use.
Osteoporosis treatment in the UK: lifestyle foundations, first-line bisphosphonates, denosumab, bone-building drugs, and how treatment is chosen and monitored.
Romosozumab (Evenity) is a bone-building injection for postmenopausal women at very high fracture risk: how it works, the 12-month course and the heart warning.
Prolia (denosumab) is a twice-yearly osteoporosis injection. How it works, who it's for, side effects, and why you must never simply stop it. UK guidance.
Alendronic acid side effects explained: common and rare effects, dental advice, how to take the tablets correctly and how long you stay on them. UK guidance.
Does Mounjaro (tirzepatide) cause bone loss? The tirzepatide-specific evidence is thin and conflicting. The honest UK picture, and how to protect your bones.
Can alcohol cause osteoporosis? Heavy drinking weakens bone and raises fracture risk. What the UK evidence says about units, bone density and falls.
What is peak bone mass? Up to 90% is built by 18–20 and it peaks in your late 20s. How exercise, calcium, vitamin D and protein raise your 'bone bank'.
Coeliac disease is a cause of secondary osteoporosis: gut damage cuts calcium and vitamin D absorption. How a gluten-free diet helps bones, and UK scan advice.
Is collagen good for your bones? Some trials show modest bone-density gains in postmenopausal women, but evidence is limited — not a proven treatment.
Do you need calcium supplements? Most UK adults can get 700mg a day from food. Who genuinely benefits from a supplement, the upper limit and the heart debate.
Early menopause (before 45) or POI (before 40) means bones lose oestrogen's protection sooner, raising osteoporosis risk. What helps, and why a baseline helps.
Losing height or a new stoop can signal silent spinal fractures from osteoporosis. UK guidelines flag height loss of 4cm or more for a bone check. What to do.
Rheumatoid arthritis raises osteoporosis and fracture risk through inflammation, reduced mobility and steroid treatment. What protects your bones.
Smoking is a proven risk factor for osteoporosis and fractures: it lowers oestrogen, harms bone-building cells and slows healing. Quitting helps bones recover.
Vegan bone health: vegans had higher hip-fracture risk in EPIC-Oxford, but planning protects bones. Calcium, protein, vitamin D and B12 on a plant-based diet.
Hip fracture prevention for older adults: weight-bearing and balance exercise, calcium and vitamin D, falls-proofing your home, and knowing your fracture risk.
An overactive thyroid speeds up bone turnover, can lower bone density and raises fracture risk, especially after menopause. UK evidence and how to protect bone.
Type 2 diabetes can raise fracture risk even when a DEXA scan looks normal, because it harms bone quality, not just density. Why monitoring matters.
Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium and build bone. NHS advice: consider 10 micrograms (400 IU) a day in autumn and winter, and all year for some groups.
Looking for a DEXA scan near you? Compare UK bone density scan routes: NHS DEXA via your GP, private DEXA clinics, and radiation-free REMS assessment days.
Can osteoporosis be reversed? Usually not fully, but bone loss can be slowed, stabilised and sometimes improved. What exercise, diet and treatment achieve.
For UK employers: why bone health screening belongs in workplace wellbeing for an ageing, menopausal workforce, and how radiation-free REMS runs on-site.
Which exercises to avoid with osteoporosis, which to adapt, and what to do instead: UK guidance on impact, strength, balance and spinal movements.
What is a FRAX score? How the UK FRAX tool estimates your 10-year fracture risk, how NOGG thresholds guide treatment, and why bone quality matters.
Is osteoporosis hereditary? Genes strongly shape bone density and a parent's hip fracture raises your risk. But genes aren't destiny: prevention still matters.
Osteoporosis diet guide: the best foods for bone health, top calcium sources, vitamin D and why a winter supplement helps, protein, and what to moderate.
Yes — men get osteoporosis too. Around 1 in 5 UK men over 50 break a bone because of it. Male risk factors, when to be assessed, and how DXA and FRAX work.
A REMS scan is a radiation-free ultrasound of the spine and hip that gives a T-score plus a Fragility Score. How it differs from DEXA, and where to book one.
Steroid-induced osteoporosis: long-term oral steroids such as prednisolone are a leading cause, with bone loss fastest in the first months. Who's at risk.
Can you get a DEXA bone density scan on the NHS? Only via GP or specialist referral. Who qualifies, how to ask your GP, and private and REMS options.
How often should you have a bone density scan? Repeat DXA scans are usually 2 years apart because bone changes slowly; higher-risk people may need more.
DEXA scan preparation: wear loose, metal-free clothing, flag recent barium, CT contrast or nuclear-medicine scans or possible pregnancy, and arrive on time.
Is a DEXA scan safe? Yes: it uses a very low radiation dose, far less than a chest X-ray. Painless with no injection, but avoided in pregnancy.
In the UK, a bone density T-score of -1.0 or above is normal, -1.0 to -2.5 is osteopenia and -2.5 or below is osteoporosis. Under-50s use a Z-score instead.
Osteopenia means lower-than-normal bone density — a DXA T-score between -1.0 and -2.5. It's a risk marker, not a disease. Here's what causes it and what to do.
RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) is low energy availability harming athlete health, including bone. Warning signs, stress-fracture risk and tests.
Where to get a private bone density (DEXA) scan in the UK: private hospitals, imaging clinics and self-referral providers. What to check, and the REMS option.
Z-score vs T-score: a T-score compares your bone density with a healthy young adult; a Z-score with people of your age, sex and ethnicity. Which one matters.
A DEXA scan isn't designed to diagnose arthritis, but spinal osteoarthritis can falsely raise your spine BMD and mask osteoporosis. What it means for you.
How long does a DEXA bone density scan take? Usually 10–20 minutes. It's painless, you stay dressed, and the scanner arm passes over your spine and hip.
How much does a DEXA bone density scan cost in the UK? NHS scans are free with referral; private DEXA typically costs around £85–£250 in 2026.
DEXA scan T-score: -1.0 or above is normal, -1.0 to -2.5 is osteopenia, -2.5 or below is osteoporosis. What your result means and what to do next.
What does a DEXA scan show? Bone density at the spine and hip and a T-score to diagnose osteoporosis, but not bone quality, so some fracture at a normal result.
Will a DEXA scan show cancer? No: a bone density scan measures bone density to diagnose osteoporosis, not to detect cancer. What it checks, and which tests do.
The best exercises for osteoporosis: weight-bearing and resistance training build bone, swimming and cycling don't. What UK guidance says, and how to start.
Bone density after 50: how much loss is normal, what your T-score means, how menopause and fracture risk fit in, and what the evidence says you can do.
Should you have a bone scan before starting Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro? The UK evidence on bone density loss and whether a baseline scan is worth it.
Do GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro cause muscle loss? What the evidence shows, who's most at risk, and how to protect muscle (and bone).
How to improve bone density naturally: what the evidence really shows about exercise, diet and lifestyle for stronger bones, with honest UK guidance.
Menopause bone loss speeds up as oestrogen falls, often before periods stop. Why it happens, how much density you can lose, and how to protect your bones.
Menopause and a GLP-1 weight-loss jab both nudge bone density down. What the UK evidence shows, why the combination warrants care, and how to protect bones.
HRT and osteoporosis: oestrogen protects bone, and when it falls at menopause bone loss speeds up. What UK evidence says about HRT, who it suits, and tracking.
Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro can lower bone density, but evidence points to rapid weight loss, not the drug itself. The UK research, and how to protect bone.
Perimenopause bone loss can begin years before your final period. What UK evidence shows about this prevention window, and how to protect your bones in time.
Menopause speeds up bone loss, but much of it is preventable. A UK evidence guide to the exercise, nutrition, HRT and radiation-free monitoring that help.
Bone density can dip during rapid weight loss on GLP-1 jabs. How to protect your bones on Mounjaro, Wegovy or Ozempic: exercise, nutrition and a baseline scan.
Is there a radiation-free alternative to a DEXA scan? How REMS ultrasound works, what it can and can't replace, and who it suits. An honest UK guide.
Rapid weight loss can lower bone density. What UK evidence shows about losing weight fast, who's most at risk, and how exercise, protein and screening help.
REMS vs DEXA: how the radiation-free REMS ultrasound scan compares with a DEXA X-ray for accuracy, safety and repeat monitoring. Honest UK comparison.
Muscle loss with age speeds up after 50 and is rarely diagnosed in the UK. How fast you lose muscle, the warning signs, and what actually prevents it.
Signs of osteoporosis: it's usually silent, with no reliable early symptoms until a bone breaks. What UK evidence says about signs, risk factors and testing.
Calcium and vitamin D for osteoporosis, plus protein: how they work together, UK intake targets, the best food sources (including dairy-free) and supplements.
Does Wegovy lower bone density? Most BMD data is at the diabetes dose; the obesity-dose fracture signal comes from SELECT. The balanced UK evidence.
What causes osteoporosis? Bone resorption outpacing new bone. The causes, from ageing and menopause to medicines and hidden conditions, and risks to change.
A bone health assessment checks bone strength and fracture risk. What it involves, who needs one in the UK, and how DEXA and radiation-free REMS scans compare.
What to expect at a Screen My Bones bone screening day: a 30-minute appointment, a painless REMS scan, no referral or preparation, and results by email.