What causes Osteoporosis

Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen and calcium. As people age, the amount of bone in their body steadily decreases. Women are especially prone to developing thin bone because they do not develop as much bone while younger and the rate of bone loss in women is greater than men. Because of this, age and gender are the most important risk factors for developing osteoporosis.

Both men and women achieve their "peak bone mass" in the third decade of life. After that time, bone mass gradually but steadily decreases. In pregnant and lactating women, the rate of bone loss will temporarily increase if the increased calcium demands of pregnancy or breastfeeding are not met by increased dietary intake of calcium. In women, there is also a significant decrease of bone mass in the immediate post-menopausal period.

Other important risk factors that can contribute to developing osteoporosis include smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, Northern European ancestry, hypothyroidism, anti-convulsant medications and a sedentary lifestyle.