The loss of bone mineral density and the subsequent risk for osteoporosis are higher for those with Type I diabetes than those with Type II, according to researchers from the University of Turku in Finland. The increased risk seems to be due to rapid bone loss that occurs at or soon after the onset of Type I diabetes, though why this bone loss occurs in unknown.
Most studies agree that Type I diabetes contributes to the loss of bone mineral density (BMD). But when it comes to people with Type II, the studies disagreed: Some found no change in bone mineral density, some found an increase, and others a decrease.
This study was the first to include both groups in the same study. There were 56 Type I participants, 62 with Type II diabetes, and 498 people serving as the control group. The participants ranged in age from 52 to 72, and all had developed diabetes after age 30, which means they’d had a chance to reach their highest level of bone mass.
Lower bone density was found in both men and women with Type I diabetes. However, when the researchers adjusted for age and body mass, the difference between males and females decreased somewhat.
The rate of bone fractures was higher in women with Type I diabetes than in women with Type II, which also indicates that bone mineral loss is more pronounced for women with Type I.
Researchers stated that the difference in bone density couldn’t be due to insulin therapy, since all participants were taking insulin. Previous studies suggest that insulin therapy may increase bone loss in Type I diabetics.
While the exact reason for the increased loss of bone density is not yet known, researchers urge people with Type I diabetes to make sure their health-care providers test them for low bone density and osteoporosis. Diabetes practitioners should test these patients for low-bone density and treat it immediately to prevent onset of osteoporosis and fractures.