Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the bones to become weak, brittle and prone to fracture. It can affect men and women. As you age, your bones become more porous and thin and are more likely to fracture when you fall or injure yourself.

Nevertheless, osteoporosis is preventable and treatable. The key to success is building a strong skeleton when you are young which would help decrease the rate of bone loss as you age. After the age of 30, your body starts to lose bone density.

Women are particularly susceptible because bone loss becomes more rapid for several years following the menopause. Having osteoporosis does not mean your bones will break (fracture), it just means you have a greater risk of fracture. Even if you already have osteoporosis, good nutrition, plenty of exercise and taking prescribed medications can slow the progression. 

Primary forms of the disease include postmenopausal osteoporosis and age-related osteoporosis.

Secondary forms are often caused by other diseases or the use of certain medications.