Causes of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition that affections thousands of people each year. It is a disease that affects the bone, making it less strong and more succeptible to fractures. Many become surprised when they discover that they have osteoporosis, and may wonder why they came down with the disease. There are a few reasons that someone comes gets osteoporosis, and a number of risk factors that show that you may be at risk for having osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis occurs when there is an imbalance between the formation of new bones and your body absorbing the old bones. If your body is not producing enough new bone, you will have osteoporosis. If your body is not absorbing the old bones fast enough, you will have osteoporosis. When we are young, our body uses calcium and phosphate in order to create new, strong bones. As you get older, your body may begin to stop absorbing calcium and phosphate the way it needs to.

Women tend to get osteoporosis more than men do because of menopause. When women go through menopause, their estrogen levels decrease significantly, which increases their risk for osteoporosis. This is one reason that women should take calcium supplements when they start going through menopause. Other people that are at risk for osteoporosis include people who have eating disorders, like anorexic or bulimia. These disorders don't allow for the proper amount of calcium and phosphate to enter the body with the diet, which means that the bones become brittle over time.

To discover if you are at risk for osteoporosis, ask your doctor if it makes sense for you to have a bone mineral density scan. A bone mineral density scan can discover how healthy your bones are and if you are at risk from having osteoporosis.