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Dexa Scan

EARLY DETECTION AND RISK MANAGEMENT with DEXA Body Composition Scan:  Gain insights into your body composition with precise measurements to track your progress and optimize your fitness journey and be proactive at detecting trends early to reduce your risk for chronic lifestyle conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.  

What is DEXA & why you should do it?

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A DEXA scan, which stands for Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, uses the science of X-ray technology to assess your bone mineral density (BMD) as well as body composition including muscle mass, superficial and visceral fat.  DEXA allows for early detection of disease and helps to mitigate risks before they become problematic.    

X-Rays

Dual-Energy Advantage

  • Distinguishing Bone from Soft Tissue (muscle, visceral and superficial fat): By using two X-ray energy levels, the DEXA scan can differentiate between bone and soft tissue. The machine's software analyzes how much of each energy level is absorbed, allowing it to calculate the amount of bone mineral present.

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  • Accurate BMD Measurement: This dual-energy approach provides a more precise measurement of BMD compared to traditional X-rays, which can only detect significant bone loss (around 30-40%). DEXA scans can detect much smaller changes in bone density (as low as 1%), making them ideal for early detection of bone loss conditions like osteoporosis.

Applications of DEXA Scan Science

  • Osteoporosis Diagnosis and Monitoring: By measuring BMD, DEXA scans help diagnose osteoporosis, a condition where bones become weak and brittle. Tracking BMD over time with DEXA scans allows doctors to monitor the progression of osteoporosis and the effectiveness of treatment.

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  • Fracture Risk Assessment: Bone density is a major factor in fracture risk. DEXA scans can help assess your risk of fractures, particularly in the hips and spine.  

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  • Body Composition Analysis: Our DEXA machine can also estimate body composition, including lean muscle mass, fat mass, and bone mineral content.

Joint Pain

DEXA Scan and Longevity

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DEXA Scans and Risk Assessment

  • Chronic Disease Risk: DEXA scans can identify risk factors for chronic diseases associated with aging, such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. By detecting these risks early, you can take preventive measures like lifestyle changes or medications to potentially delay or even prevent the onset of these conditions.

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  • Osteoporosis: Early detection allows for interventions like weight-bearing exercise, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and medication to maintain bone strength and reduce fracture risk, a major concern for healthy aging.

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  • Body Composition: DEXA scans can assess body fat distribution, with high visceral fat (fat around organs) being a risk factor for heart disease and diabetes. Identifying this allows for dietary and exercise adjustments to target visceral fat reduction.

Monitoring Interventions for Longevity

  • Tracking Progress: If you're implementing lifestyle changes or medical interventions aimed at improving longevity, DEXA scans can be used to TRACK PROGRESS. For example, monitoring bone density changes after starting osteoporosis medication can show its effectiveness.

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Heavy Weightlifter

Focus on Muscle Mass, Not Just Bone Density

  • Muscle and Longevity: Recent research suggests that muscle mass, not just bone mineral density, might be a more significant predictor of longevity.  Our DEXA machine will provide you with a muscle mass measurement and will provide valuable insight to motivate you to focus on building and maintaining muscle through strength training, which is crucial for healthy aging

DEXA scan and Performance

 

DEXA scans hold value for performance athletes, but not necessarily in the same way they do for overall health. Here's a breakdown of how DEXA scans can be used in the context of athletic performance

Body Composition Analysis

While DEXA scans are primarily used for bone density (BMD) assessment, some machines offer body composition analysis as well. This can provide insights into:

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  • Lean Muscle Mass: This is crucial for strength, power, and overall athletic performance. DEXA scans can estimate muscle mass, though dedicated body composition analysis methods might be more accurate.

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  • Fat Mass: Knowing your body fat percentage can be helpful, but for athletes, the distribution of fat might be more relevant.  Our DEXA analysis can determine visceral fat vs. subcutaneous fat.

Strong Man
Intense Training

Applications for Performance

  • Monitoring Muscle Building Progress: Athletes focused on gaining muscle mass can use DEXA scans to track changes over time. This helps them gauge the effectiveness of their training and nutrition programs.

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  • Identifying Areas for Improvement: Some sports emphasize specific muscle groups. DEXA scans can reveal imbalances in muscle development, allowing athletes to tailor their training to address weaknesses.

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  • Optimizing Weight Management for Different Sports: In some weight-class sports, maintaining a specific body weight composition is crucial. DEXA scans can provide data to guide healthy weight management strategies that focus on fat loss while preserving muscle mass.

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