People who are generally healthy are sometimes surprised when they know the diagnoses of osteoporosis. Such people claim that they exercise regularly and their diet is rich in calcium and essential nutrient for bone health. They ask how this is happening.  Most people have thought that this is a disease which older women only had to worry about.

How could it happen?

Most people think that disease is affected only to the persons who are weak in health, bent over or fragile. Such people are shocked to hear that their neighbors or they who are with strong body being pronounced as osteoporosis sufferers.

Causes

Bones of human beings are under a state of constant renewal. Old bones are replaced by new bones. At younger ages the making of new bones takes place at a faster pace than the breaking down of old bones. So the bone mass increases considerably. The highest bone mass occurs around the age of 20. As age increases, the production of new bones decreases.  The breaking down of older bone increases, resulting in lesser bone mass. The possibility of osteoporosis is dependent upon the highest bone mass reached by a person in his younger age. With higher the bone mass you have good balance in the bone bank and therefore you are less likely to succumb to osteoporosis.

Risk factors

Hormone levels: Lowering of sex hormones can lead to osteoporosis. Low level of estrogen after menopause is the reason for the increase in the rate of this disease in older women. Level of testosterone decreases as the age of a person increases. This is the reason for the increased occurrence of osteoporosis in men after middle ages. Overactive thyroid can lead to increased production of thyroid hormones which results in osteoporosis.

Decreased calcium intake: Lack of sufficient quantity of calcium has been found to be a good cause for the formation of osteoporosis. It results in diminished bone density.

Under weight:  Being underweight and inability to eat sufficient food have been found to cause this disease.

Gastrointestinal surgery: Surgery to remove a part of your stomach or intestine can lead to the formation of osteoporosis. Removal of a part reduces the surface area available for absorbing the nutrients in the food.

Life style of the patient:

The following life styles have been found to contribute to the formation of this disease

·         Sedentary life

·         Excess consumption of alcohol

·         Regular tobacco smoking

Sex, age, family history, size of your body frame etc has important roles in the formation of this disease.