Table of Contents
Men. Low levels of testosterone increase osteoporosis risk. Certain types of medical conditions (hypogonadism) and treatments (prostate cancer androgen deprivation) can cause testosterone deficiency.
Lifestyle Factors
Dietary Factors. Diet plays an important role in preventing and speeding up bone loss in men and women. Calcium and vitamin D deficiencies are important factors in the risk for osteoporosis. Other dietary factors may also be harmful or protective for certain people.
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Click the icon to see an image of the sources of calcium. |
Exercise. Lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk for osteoporosis. Conversely, in competitive female athletes, excessive exercise may reduce estrogen levels, causing bone loss. (The eating disorder anorexia nervosa can have a similar effect.) People who are chairbound or bedbound due to medical infirmities and who do not bear weight on the bones are at risk for osteoporosis.
Lack of Sunlight. The photochemical effect of sunlight on the skin is a primary source for vitamin D. Bone formation peaks in the summer and bone breakdown increases in the winter. People who avoid sun exposure to prevent skin cancer may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency, particularly if they are elderly.
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Click the icon to see an image of the sources of vitamin D. |
Smoking. Women who smoke, particularly after menopause, have a significantly greater chance of spine and hip fractures than those who don't smoke. Men who smoke also have lower bone density.
Alcohol. Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can increase the risk for bone loss.
Risk Factors in Children and Adolescents
The maximum density that bones achieve during the growing years is a major factor in whether a person goes on to develop osteoporosis. People, usually women, who never develop adequate peak bone mass in early life are at high risk for osteoporosis later on. Children at risk for low peak bone mass include those who are:
- Born prematurely
- Have anorexia nervosa
- Have delayed puberty or abnormal absence of menstrual periods
Although to a large extent genetics predict bone health, exercise and good nutrition during the first three decades of life (when peak bone mass is reached) are still excellent safeguards against osteoporosis (and countless other health problems).
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)
