Bone is living tissue. Throughout life, old bone breaks down and new bone forms. According to the Cleveland Clinic, a person builds more bone than is lost until about age 30. Around age 35, bone begins to break down faster than it builds up. This leads to a condition called osteopenia, which means bones are less dense than average. If the loss of bone mass continues, it weakens the internal structure of the bone and leads to the more serious condition of osteoporosis.
Age and Gender
Bones naturally lose density as a person ages. Women start out with less bone mass than men. At menopause, the rate of loss increases. As a result, postmenopausal women are most at risk of bone mass loss and resulting fractures. However, according to the Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center, men over the age of 50 have a one-in-four chance of breaking a bone due to osteoporosis.
Genetics
Body size and ethnicity also increase the risk of bone mass loss. Since small women usually have thinner bones to start with, they cannot afford to lose as much mass as someone who already has denser bones. Caucasian and Asian women have a higher risk of significant bone mass loss than African-American or Hispanic women, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Also, if a person's parents or grandparents suffered fractures due to osteoporosis, that individual will be more at risk for problems resulting from bone mass loss.
Lifestyle
For good health, the body requires optimal levels of all nutrients. Of particular importance to bone health is calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin D is best acquired from the sun, but many people suffer deficiencies.
Weight-bearing exercise stimulates the development of new bone and is essential to avoiding osteopenia and osteoporosis. Extreme inactivity, such as long-term bed rest, may cause these conditions, according to MayoClinic.com.
The Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center advises that cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol intake can also result in loss of bone mass.
Diseases and Medications
Certain disorders result in loss of bone mass. One is anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder that results in the body not receiving the nutrition it needs for optimal bone health. Low estrogen levels in women, whether they occur naturally at menopause or abnormally early, and low testosterone levels in men can cause bone mass loss. Gastrointestinal diseases, such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, interfere with absorption of nutrients and may result in poor bone health.
Diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis require long-term use of glucocorticoids. Seizure disorders may require long-term use of anticonvulsants. Both of these medication types cause loss of bone mass over time.
Member Comments