Did you know that in the United States alone more than 40 million people either already have osteoporosis or are at high risk due to low bone mass? While the majority of those people are women, 29% of them are men. Men can get osteoporosis too.
Osteoporosis is a condition where your bones weaken. Rather than being dense and sturdy structures, they become porous and fragile. This leads to fractures.
The most common fractures are the hips, the spine, and the wrists. Hip and spinal fractures, as you might imagine, can be debilitating and take years to recover from.
If you’re under 30 you may not think about your bone health and osteoporosis. However, now is the perfect time to take action. You can increase bone strength and density up to age 30. After age 30 you start to lose bone density.
There are certain populations that are at a greater risk for osteoporosis. If you’re in these risk groups then it’s even more important to take action to build strong bones or to take steps to reduce bone loss.
Osteoporosis Risk Factors
- Female – Women get osteoporosis more often than men.
- Age – You start losing bone mass after age 30. After age 40 the loss increases to around .5% a year.
- Body Type – If you weigh less than 127 or have a small frame, you’re at a greater risk.
- Ethnicity – Caucasian and Asian women are at highest risk.
- Family history – There is a genetic link for osteoporosis. If a family member has been diagnosed with osteoporosis, you have a greater chance of being diagnosed as well.
- Eating disorders – Anorexia nervosa and bulimia can both lead to osteoporosis.
- Smoking – Studies have shown that cigarette smoking reduces bone density.
- Alcohol consumption – If you have more than two alcoholic beverages a day, there’s a link to osteoporosis.
Know your risks and talk to your doctor. There are simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting this debilitating disease.
