Although many people think of osteoporosis as a woman's disease, it is also a serious health problem for men. Two million American men have osteoporosis, and another 12 million are at risk for this disease. Experts estimate that one-fifth to one-third of all hip fractures occur in men and that symptomatic vertebral (spine) fractures occur about half as often in men as in women.
After age 50, 6 percent of all men will suffer a hip fracture because of osteoporosis. In spite of the large number of men affected, osteoporosis in men is often overlooked and not diagnosed.
Bone is living, changing tissue. Throughout life, bone is removed and rebuilt. During youth, bones grow in length and density. Maximum height is reached during the teen years, but bones continue to become denser until about age 30 when peak bone density is attained. After that point, bones slowly start to lose density or strength.
Bone density is affected by heredity, diet, sex hormones, physical activity, lifestyle choices and the use of certain medications. Men have larger, stronger bones than women, a major reason why osteoporosis affects fewer men than women.
Osteoporosis can strike at any age, but the risk increases as you get older. Men tend to get it about 10 years later in life than women. This difference has been attributed to a higher peak bone mass at maturity and a more gradual reduction in sex steroid influence in aging men. Losing height or breaking a bone may be the first sign of osteoporosis.
A number of risk factors are associated with osteoporosis in men.
Thursday
June 5th, 2025
3:22PM
