Table of Contents
Introduction
Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease in which bones become brittle and prone to fracture. In other words, the bone loses density. Bone density is the amount of bone tissue (such as calcium and minerals) in a certain volume of bone. Osteoporosis is diagnosed when bone density has decreased to the point where the risk of fractures is high even without severe stress or injury to the bones.
The Bones
The Function of Bones. The skeleton has a dual function:
- It provides structural support for muscles and organs.
- It also serves as a storehouse for the body's calcium and other essential minerals, such as phosphorus and magnesium.
The skeleton holds 99% of the body's calcium. The remaining 1% circulates in the blood and is essential for crucial bodily functions, ranging from muscle contraction to nerve function to blood clotting.
Bone Turnover: the Breakdown and Rebuilding of Bones. Bone tissue is constantly being broken down and reformed again. This turnover is necessary for growth, for repair of minor damage that occurs from everyday stress, and for the maintenance of a properly functioning body. Two essential cells are involved in this process:
Review Date: 10/21/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M.,
Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
