Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Osteoporosis
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
- View All
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Osteoporosis is the loss of bone density or thinning of the bones. This thinning causes bone weakness, and eventually the involved bone may break.
What is going on in the body?
Bones go through a constant state of bone loss and regrowth. People reach their peak bone mass by about age 30. After the age of 30, bone loss slowly begins to occur. This loss, if it becomes severe, can lead to osteoporosis. The bones become thin and fragile and may break easily.
Initially, bone loss occurs very slowly for both women and men. After the age of 65 to 70, men begin to lose bone more rapidly. Women, on the other hand, begin to lose bone more rapidly after they reach menopause and the body's estrogen level falls. Women may also begin to lose bone more rapidly if they have their ovaries removed during surgery before they reach menopause.
Bone is made up of calcium and proteins. There are two types of bone: compact and spongy. Each bone in the body has both types of bone in different amounts. The first signs of osteoporosis are seen in bones that have a lot of spongy bone. These include the hip, spine, and wrist bones.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
Some risk factors for osteoporosis cannot be changed. These include:
Other risk factors for osteoporosis can be changed, such as:
Some of the diseases and conditions that can increase an individual's risk for osteoporosis are as follows: