Bone health & osteoporosis

Thalassaemia affects the bones for several reasons at once: an overworked bone marrow thinning the bone, direct iron effects, and hormone shortfalls (like low sex hormones, vitamin D or thyroid). The result — low bone density and, sometimes, spinal changes or fractures — is common, but largely preventable.

Bone density is measured by a DEXA scan and reported as a “T-score”: osteoporosis is a score below −2.5, and osteopenia (milder) is between −1 and −2.5. Ask about a DEXA scan if yours hasn’t been checked.

What protects your bones: weight-bearing exercise (walking, light resistance work), enough vitamin D and calcium (often around 2,000 IU vitamin D/day, with levels checked every 6 months), good chelation, and healthy hormone levels. When bone loss is significant, doctors may add a bone-strengthening medicine (such as a bisphosphonate) — alongside treating any hormone cause.