Key takeaways
- Osteoporosis weakens bones by decreasing their density and mass, making them more susceptible to fractures.
- Bone mass typically increases from childhood until around age 40, after which it starts to decline, raising the risk of osteoporosis.
- While there’s no cure for osteoporosis, treatments like medication, diet changes, exercise, and quitting smoking, if applicable, can help strengthen bones and slow their breakdown.
We accumulate bone mass from childhood into early adulthood and beyond. But after
Osteoporosis is more common in women than in men due to the decrease in the hormone estrogen during menopause. This hormone plays an important role in bone health.
A decrease in estrogen causes a decline in new bone formation and an increase in bone resorption, or the dissolving of a bone’s mineral content. If your body can’t create new bone as quickly as it’s losing old bone, you may have osteoporosis.
While osteoporosis has no cure, treatments can help strengthen bone and slow the breakdown of bone. This may involve prescription medication, adjustments to your diet and exercise routine, and lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking.
Let’s take a closer look at the facts and stats on osteoporosis and its connection to bone health.