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Causes of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is inextricably linked to hormones. For this reason, women make up about 80% of osteoporosis sufferers, and a large percentage of those women have undergone menopause and the hormonal fluctuations associated with it. Estrogen is the predominant hormone that fades with the onset of menopause and puts women at a much higher risk of developing osteoporosis. |
Testosterone is the hormone responsible for bone strength and breakdown in men. |
However, there are other causes of osteoporosis. Continue reading below to learn about the hormonal and other causes of this disease that weakens bones.
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Hormonal Causes of Osteoporosis
Although osteoporosis can affect both men and women at any age, the disease affects women four-fold compared to their male counterparts. About 33% of women over 50 will experience an osteoporotic bone fractures. This is the average age in which women go through menopause and begin to experience hormonal imbalance.
This data is no coincidence. Because bones in the female body are heavily dependant on hormones, particularly estrogen, to absorb the calcium necessary to maintain a healthy bone mass, women´s bones become weak and brittle as their estrogen levels diminish as a result of menopause.
Because of the clear gender imbalance of those affected by osteoporosis, women must take special care to understand this disease and incorporate any possible preventative measures early on.
It´s helpful to take a closer look at exactly why low levels of estrogen lead to osteoporosis. The knowledge gained will equip a woman with the facts necessary to make an educated prevention and treatment decisions. |
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The information below will describe how estrogen affects bones.
Estrogen and Osteoporosis
The graph to the right shows how drastically levels of estrogen drop off during menopause and post-menopause, beginning at about age 45. Estrogen levels in post-menopausal women is about one-tenth the amount present in pre-menopausal women. For this precise reason, women approaching menopause and those who have already gone through it are at a much higher risk of developing osteoporosis and suffering from bone fractures as a result. |
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Without adequate levels of estrogen, bones aren´t able to absorb the proper amounts of calcium to replenish bone mass as cells slough off and die. The body also has trouble controlling the amount of bone cells that are destroyed without estrogen to regulate the function.
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Estrogen's most important effect on osteoporosis appears to be prevention of bone breakdown, known as resorption. Healthy bones require a balance of osteoclasts (cells that breakdown bones) and osteoblasts (cells that make new bone). As estrogen levels diminish, osteoclasts live longer than their counterparts, osteoblasts. This leads to bones being broken down at a rate much greater than they can be rebuilt, thus they grow weak and brittle. |
Another part of estrogen's role in bone reformation involves maintaining normal levels of vitamin D, an important nutrient in bone protection. As estrogen levels decrease, levels of vitamin D follow suit, and bone strength suffers. In addition to hormonal causes of osteoporosis, other factors can lead to drastically diminished bone strength. Continue reading to find out the other causes of osteoporosis.
Other Causes of Osteoporosis
Researchers agree that the primary cause of osteoporosis in women as they surpass age 50 is diminished hormonal levels, particularly estrogen levels; however, there are other causes that need to be explored in order to have a comprehensive understanding of this serious bone disease. Other causes of osteoporosis include the following:
| • Diseases: many diseases can hamper the growth of new bone material. Some of these diseases are hyperthyroidism, disorders of the adrenal glands (Cushing's syndrome, for instance), disorders of the pituitary gland, diabetes, and eating disorders. |
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| • Medications: some medications can reduce bones´ ability to rebuild themselves. Some of the medications that can cause osteoporosis are glucocorticoid medications, prednisolone, excess thyroid hormone replacement, the blood thinner heparin, and certain anti-convulsant medications. |
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| • Insufficient bone growth as a youth: Bones that didn´t get enough calcium early in life have a higher likelihood of becoming osteoporotic and fracturing as estrogen levels begin to decrease. |
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| • Genetic factors: If a woman´s family members, especially her mother, have suffered from osteoporosis, the likelihood that she will develop the disease jumps dramatically. Genetics also helps determine the body type of a woman. If she inherited a small, thin body type, she is predisposed to osteoporosis. |
With a clear understanding was causes osteoporosis, the time is right to learn different prevention techniques to avoid osteoporosis before it sets starts. Click the following link to find out about osteoporosis prevention.
What are the best ways to cope with osteoporosis?
Three approaches can be considered for treating osteoporosis: (1) lifestyle changes, (2) alternative remedies, and (3) drugs and surgery. Most experts recommend that women begin with the least aggressive approach and move to the next level of treatment only if symptoms persist. Click on treatments for osteoporosis to discover the best route to relief.
Return to home page and learn more about the 34 Menopause Symptoms.
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