What is Osteomalacia?
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Osteomalacia is the softening of bones in the body, leading to bone pain, bone tenderness, bending of the long bones, and, in some cases, fractures.
Although bone appears to be hard, it is mostly made of collagen, the same material that flexible body parts like skin and tendons are made from. Bones become hard when a mineral, calcium phosphate, coats the collagen fibers in a process called mineralization. The more mineral in the bone, the harder the bone is.[1]
New bone is being formed in the body all the time. If the new collagen fibers are not properly coated with minerals, the bones become soft and may bend and break. This condition is known as osteomalacia.[2]
The most common cause of osteomalacia is a lack of vitamin D. In the United States, incidences of osteomalacia are rare, depending on location. People who live in cooler climates, particularly people with darker skin, are more at risk of developing osteomalacia.
In most cases, the prognosis is good, and the condition can be cured with straightforward treatment, often involving a course of vitamin and/or mineral supplements.
If you think that you might have a health condition, please check with your doctor Find my Doctor to find out more about your symptoms.
Symptoms of osteomalacia
Soft bones are a typical sign of osteomalacia. It can lead to symptoms such as:[3][4][5]
- Pain or tenderness in the bones
- Muscle spasms and/or cramps
- Muscle weakness, particularly in the thighs and buttocks
- Waddling gait and/or difficulty walking
- Feeling of pins and needles, known as paresthesia, or numbness around the mouth or in the arms and legs, in cases of calcium deficiency
Very severe cases of osteomalacia may result in:
- Bone deformity, i.e. bending of the long bones
- Pseudofractures, known as Looser’s zones, particularly in bones that bear weight such as the feet and pelvis
- Fractures of bones, especially after an event that would not usually cause such severe consequences, e.g., a non-severe fall in a middle-aged person
Osteomalacia is sometimes confused with other conditions which involve signs of weakening of bones, specifically rickets, osteoporosis, and osteopenia. See the resources on rickets and osteoporosis for more information.
If you think that you might have a health condition, please check with your doctor Find my Doctor to find out more about your symptoms.
Causes
Osteomalacia is typically caused by a deficiency of vitamin D and/or phosphorus. Although vitamin D deficiency is increasing in some countries, this does not always lead to osteomalacia.[6]
There are rare forms of osteomalacia that are caused by genetic factors or underlying disorders that affect the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D or phosphorus, such as liver disease, kidney failure or celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that can damage the intestinal lining, stopping it from metabolizing nutrients well.[2]
Lack of calcium can also cause osteomalacia, but, in Western countries, it’s rare for people to have a calcium deficiency.[2]
Vitamin D deficiency and osteomalacia
Vitamin D is important for healthy bones because it encourages the body to absorb calcium and phosphorus.[7] The body makes vitamin D when ultraviolet (UVB) waves, which are found in sunlight, directly touch the skin, interacting with the body’s chemistry to form vitamin D3.[8]
People who live in climates with seasons lacking strong sunshine, such as autumn and fall in the northern hemisphere, or who are unable to get direct sunlight on their skin, will not produce enough vitamin D to create the minerals which harden bones.[9] This increases a person’s risk of developing osteomalacia.
Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to breast cancer, bowel cancer, prostate cancer, obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Read more about Vitamin D Deficiency »
Phosphate deficiency
Less common forms of osteomalacia are caused by conditions that affect the body’s ability to absorb phosphates. These include:[10]
- Rare genetic disorders
- Kidney disease, though more common in advanced stages, and kidney failure
- Liver disease
Certain drugs
Some medications can increase the risk of osteomalacia when taken for a long time and/or in higher dosages.
Some older epilepsy medications linked to osteomalacia include:[11]
- Sodium valproate
- Carbamazepine
- Phenobarbital
- Topiramate
- Phenytoin
Other medications that are associated with osteomalacia include:[12]
- Cholestyramine, used to reduce cholesterol
- Rifampicin, an antibiotic
- Isoniazid, used for treating tuberculosis
- Antacids containing aluminum
- Saccharated ferric oxide, used to treat anemia
- Biphosphonates, used to treat osteoporosis and bone metastases
- Fluoride, used to prevent tooth decay
Risk factors
People who live in cooler climates, where there isn’t much sunlight during the autumn or fall, are at risk of developing osteomalacia.[2]
Anyone who covers most of their skin when they go outside, uses very strong sunscreen, or can’t get outside due to illness or disability, is unlikely to be able to make enough vitamin D from sun exposure, even in spring or early summer.[5]
People with dark skin, who live in countries without strong sunlight, are, particularly at risk. This is because darker skin does not make as much vitamin D as lighter skin.[9]
Lactose-intolerant people may not get enough calcium and vitamin D in their diets to produce strong bones, and so may need to consume other foods high in calcium and vitamin D instead.[5]
Read more about Vitamin D Deficiency » for more information.**
Diagnosis
Osteomalacia diagnosis can be carried out with a blood test measuring levels of calcium, vitamin D, and phosphate in the body.[2] If low levels of these are found, then a person may be diagnosed with osteomalacia or another bone disorder.
X-rays, CT, and MRI scans can detect bone fractures.
Rarely, a bone biopsy, also known as a closed or needle biopsy, may be done, in which a small sample of bone is removed and examined under a microscope.
If you think that you might have a health condition, please check with your doctor Find my Doctor to find out more about your symptoms.
Treatment and Prevention
Osteomalacia is treatable, usually with vitamin and/or mineral supplements, and most people can be cured. It is generally treated by administration of vitamin D, calcium and, if needed, also phosphorus.[5]
If the osteomalacia is caused by an underlying condition, this will also need to be treated. Osteomalacia caused by phosphate deficiency is usually due to another condition. Treatment will be recommended by a doctor.[4]
Bone will begin to strengthen within a few weeks to a few months and should be fully healed within six months. However, pain and muscle weakness may continue to be experienced during the healing process.[5][13][2]
Vitamin and mineral supplements
The amount of supplementary vitamin D a person may require depends on factors such as their age, how much natural sunlight they receive where they live and any possible other influencing factors, like having certain medical conditions or taking certain drugs that influence how the body takes up, processes or builds vitamin D.
For people living in the United States, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine recommends the following daily intakes for adults:[14]
- Vitamin D: 600 IU (international units) / 15 mcg a day
- Calcium: 1,000 mg a day
- Phosphorus: 700 mg a day
Read more about Vitamin D Deficiency »
If a person’s calcium intake from diet is less than 750 mg a day, supplements of 500-1000mg a day can help speed up the process of restoring bone.[2] More than 1500mg of calcium supplements should not be taken in a day without consulting a doctor, as this could lead to unwanted side effects.[15]
Sources of vitamin D in food
Another way of getting vitamin D is through diet, though it does not occur in many foodstuffs. Vitamin D is found in foods such as:
- Oily/fatty fish
- Liver
- Egg yolks
- Cheese
- Foods fortified during the manufacturing process
Read more about Vitamin D Deficiency »
Maintaining healthy bones
There are many things people can do in day-to-day life to promote healthy bones for osteomalacia prevention. These include:[2]
- Having a diet rich in vitamin D
- Getting a healthy amount of sun exposure
- Reducing alcohol intake
- Stopping smoking
- Exercising regularly
- Maintaining a healthy weight
Other medications that are associated with osteomalacia include:[12]
- Cholestyramine, used to reduce cholesterol
- Rifampicin, an antibiotic
- Isoniazid, used for treating tuberculosis
- Antacids containing aluminum
- Saccharated ferric oxide, used to treat anemia
- Biphosphonates, used to treat osteoporosis and bone metastases
- Fluoride, used to prevent tooth decay
FAQs
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National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. “What Is Bone?” Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩
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Versus Arthritis. “Osteomalacia.” Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
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Amboss. “Osteomalacia and rickets, subdivision: clinical features.” January 2018. Accessed April 25, 2018. ↩
-
Hypopara UK. “Osteomalacia.” July 2008. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩ ↩
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MedlinePlus. “Osteomalacia.” March 2018. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
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JAMA Internal Medicine. “Demographic Differences and Trends of Vitamin D Insufficiency in the US Population, 1988-2004.” March 2009. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩
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National Center for Biotechnology Information. “Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General: The Basics of Bone in Health and Disease.” 2004. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩
-
National Institutes of Health. “Vitamin D.” March 2018. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩
-
The Journal of Nutrition. “Vitamin D and African Americans.” April 2006. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩ ↩
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National Center for Biotechnology Information. “Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General: Diseases of Bone.” 2004. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩
-
Epilepsy Action. “Osteoporosis and epilepsy.” August 2016. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩
-
US National Library of Medicine. “Drug-induced osteomalacia.” October 1998. Accessed April 26, 2018. ↩ ↩
-
Patient Info. “Vitamin D Deficiency including Osteomalacia and Rickets.” June 2015. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩
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The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. “Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids.” August 2000. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩
-
NHS Choices. “Calcium.” March 2017. Accessed April 26, 2018. ↩
-
NCBI – NIH. “Nutritional Rickets and Osteomalacia in the Twenty-first Century.” 13 June 2017. Accessed 22 July 2018. ↩
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The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. “Rickets.” January 2014. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩
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MedlinePlus. “Bone Density.” March 2015. Accessed April 5, 2018. ↩
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**What is Osteomalacia?**
**Definition:**
Osteomalacia is a condition characterized by **weakening and softening of bones** due to **impaired mineralization**.
**Causes:**
* Vitamin D deficiency
* Calcium deficiency
* Insufficient phosphate levels
* Kidney disorders
* Certain medications (e.g., anticonvulsants, corticosteroids)
**Symptoms:**
* Bone pain and tenderness
* Muscle weakness
* Fatigue
* Bone fractures (often in older adults)
* Deformities of the spine or limbs
**Risk Factors:**
* Inadequate dietary intake of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate
* Limited sunlight exposure
* Malabsorption disorders
* Chronic kidney disease
* Menopause (in women)
* Prolonged use of certain medications
* Certain genetic conditions
**Diagnosis:**
Diagnosis involves:
* Physical examination
* Blood tests to assess vitamin D, calcium, and phosphate levels
* Bone biopsy
* Imaging studies (e.g., X-rays, bone scans)
**Treatment:**
Treatment focuses on **correcting the underlying cause:**
* **Vitamin D supplementation**
* **Calcium and phosphate supplements**
* **Medications** to treat kidney disorders
* **Hormone replacement therapy** (for menopause)
* **Dietary changes** to increase vitamin D intake
* **Regular sunlight exposure**
* **Bone strengthening exercises**
**Prevention:**
Preventive measures include:
* Ensuring adequate vitamin D intake through diet, fortified foods, or supplements
* Getting regular sunlight exposure
* Eating a balanced diet rich in calcium and phosphate
* Avoiding prolonged use of certain medications
* Managing underlying health conditions
**SEO Keywords:**
* Osteomalacia
* Bone softening
* Vitamin D deficiency
* Calcium deficiency
* Kidney disease
* Bone pain
* Muscle weakness
* Fractures
* Deformities
* Risk factors
* Diagnosis
* Treatment
* Prevention
* Supplementation
* Calcium intake
* Kidney function
* Hormonal therapy
* Dietary changes
* Sunlight exposure
* Bone strengthening
Wow ive never heard of osteomalacia i know the ending of the words means soft but hm