Osteoporosis

• Gender. Fractures from osteoporosis are about twice as common in women as they are in men. That's because women start out with lower bone mass and tend to live longer. They also experience a sudden drop in estrogen at menopause that accelerates bone loss. Slender, small-framed women are particularly at risk. Men who have low levels of the male hormone testosterone also are at increased risk. From age 75 on, osteoporosis is as common in men as it is in women.
• Age. The older you get, the higher your risk of osteoporosis. Your bones become weaker as you age. One in two women and one in four men over age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her/his remaining lifetime.
• Race. Caucasian and Asian women and men have a greater possibility of osteoporosis. African Americans and Hispanics have a lower but still significant risk.
• Family history. Osteoporosis runs in families. For that reason, having a parent or sibling with osteoporosis puts you at greater jeopardy, especially if you also have a family history of fractures.
• Frame size. Those who are exceptionally thin or have small body frames tend to have higher risk because they may have less bone mass to draw from as they age.
• Lifestyle. A sedentary lifestyle, low calcium intake, and tobacco use contribute to weak bones.
• Alcoholism. This is one of the leading factors for osteoporosis in men. Excess consumption of alcohol reduces bone formation and interferes with the body's ability to absorb calcium.
• Corticosteroid medications. Long-term use of corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone, cortisone, prednisolone, and dexamethasone, is damaging to bone. These medications are common treatments for chronic conditions such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis.
• Thyroid hormone. Too much thyroid hormone also can cause bone loss. This can occur either because of an overactive (hyperthyroidism) or from taking excess amounts of thyroid hormone medication to treat an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
• Some diuretics. Drugs that prevent buildup of fluids in the body — diuretics — cause the kidneys to excrete more calcium, leading to thinning bones. Diuretics that cause calcium loss include furosemide (Lasix), bumetanide (Bumex), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), and torsemide (Demadex).
• Other medications. Long-term use of the blood-thinning medication heparin, the drug methotrexate, some anti-seizure medications, and aluminum-containing antacids can cause bone loss.
• Breast cancer. Postmenopausal women who have had breast cancer are at increased risk of osteoporosis, especially if they were treated with chemotherapy or aromatase inhibitors such as anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane, which suppress estrogen. This isn't true for women treated with tamoxifen, which may reduce the risk of fractures.
• Medical conditions and procedures that decrease calcium absorption. Stomach surgery (gastrectomy) can affect the body's ability to absorb calcium. So can conditions such as Crohn's disease, hyperparathyroidism, anorexia nervosa, and Cushing's disease — a rare disorder in which the adrenal glands produce excessive corticosteroid hormones.

It's important to know whether or not you have osteoporosis. With proper treatment, you can slow bone loss, reduce back pain, and even improve posture. For more information, please visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation.