Male Osteoporosis: Are You One of the 12 Million at Risk?

Who has ever heard of male osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a women’s disease, right? Wrong. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, today in the United States there are two million men affected by this disease. An additional 12 million are currently at risk.

When we are young, bones grow in both density and length. Our full height is typically reached during our teens, but bones continue to increase in density up until we are about 30 years old, at which point they achieve maximum density. After the age of 30 years, we begin to lose both bone density and bone strength. It is at this point that male osteoporosis can occur. The density of bones is affected by a number of factors including heredity, sex hormones, physical activity, and the use of some medications. As a group, men have bigger and stronger bones than women, which is the primary reason why osteoporosis affects fewer men than it does women.

Risk Factors of Male Osteoporosis

Some of the common risk factors for male osteoporosis include chronic exposure to some medications, including steroids used to treat arthritis and asthma, anticonvulsants, some cancer treatments, and certain antacids. Chronic diseases that affect the kidneys, stomach, lungs, and intestines, conditions that alter hormone levels, and low levels of testosterone, are all contributing factors. Lifestyle habits, such as smoking, daily alcohol use, insufficient calcium intake, and inadequate levels of physical exercise may be the most significant and easily changed contributors to high-risk status. Increased age is one factor, as bone loss increases with advanced age. Finally, heredity and race is a major consideration in assessing the risk for the development of male osteoporosis.

There are several things that you can do to preserve bone health. First of all, uncover and treat any underlying medical conditions that may negatively affect bone health. Also, identify and evaluate the use of medications that contribute to bone loss, and change bad habits, including smoking and excessive alcohol use. Get plenty of calcium and vitamin D, either from dietary sources or through supplementation.

Finally, get active! Engage in a regular regimen of weight bearing exercises - exercises that make your bones and muscles work against gravity. Weight lifting or the use of resistance machines will help preserve bone density. If you have already been diagnosed with osteoporosis, be very careful when creating your exercise regimen, as exercise that involves twisting motions should be avoided to prevent injury to weakened bones. Have your doctor evaluate your condition and your proposed exercise regimen before you begin. Keeping your risk factors in mind, you will be able to avoid or minimize male osteoporosis.