A new study suggests that older men with Parkinson's disease (PD) should be screened for osteoporosis. Patients should also inquire about ways to boost bone density with safe exercises and appropriate doses of such bone-building nutrients as calcium and vitamins D and K.

The research, published in the Journal of American Geriatrics

Society, looked at a group of nearly 6,000 men, aged 65 and older, including 52 with PD, to determine the association between the disease and low bone density and falls in older men. Those with PD were found to have significantly lower bone density at the spine and hip. Further, PD was associated with a nearly three times greater risk of multiple falls.

Most of the men who participated in the study were living in private homes, relatively healthy, and white. As a result, these findings might not apply to those with more severe PD, to women, to those in nursing homes, or to other racial groups, the researchers report.