It is usually the age that puts men at the risk of osteoporosis. However, there are several other secondary factors like alcohol and tobacco usage that can increase the risk.
What is Osteoporosis in Men?
Osteoporosis is a condition in which the skeleton gets weakened and the bones start to break. It has been constant threat for many men across the globe. Osteoporosis is also known as a silent disease as it shows no symptoms during its progression until a fracture occurs. Although it attacks men less often than women, there are many lifestyle related risks that can pose a threat for men.
What are the Causes of Osteoporosis?
Bones constantly keep changing in the body, i.e, old bone is removed and it is replaced by a new bone. This process takes place more rigorously during childhood which makes the skeleton grow in size as well as strength. By the time you achieve the third grade of life, the bone mass is at its peak. By this age, men accumulate more bone mass than women. Prior to this point, the amount of bone present in the skeleton starts to decline slowly as the removal of old bone is faster than the formation of new bone.
When men are in their 50s they do not face a rapid loss of bones than that of women who experience menopause in this age. But, by the time men reach their mid or late 60s they start losing bone mass at a rapid rate. This excessive loss of bones can make them fragile and prone to fractures.
What are the Risk Factors?
The development of osteoporosis in men is usually related to aging and genetic factors. But, in 30 to 60 pre cent cases osteoporosis is associated with one or more secondary risk factors which include:
- Anticonvulsant therapy
- Low levels of androgens
- Los levels of estrogen
- Tobacco and alcohol use
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