The Risks for Osteoporosis

There are already 10 million Americans and maybe 34 million more in the near future who will be affected by the brittle bone disease known as osteoporosis, according to U.S. health officials. This has been considered a big problem that thousands of medical research are being made about it every year. As a result, Arizona researchers recently revealed the relationship between osteoporosis and vitamin D.

The risk factors for osteoporosis can be modifiable or non-modifiable. Factors that can be changed to improve one’s being are considered as modifiable factors while those that can no longer be changed are referred to as non-modifiable. Though the latter could not be reversed, knowing them will give us a better estimate of our own risks of suffering the disease.

The following are the constant factors of osteoporosis:

Gender. Women have greater chances of developing the disease than men. Slower bone rate is a characteristic among men based on the fact that they have higher bone mass than women. This is the reason why women are more likely to be afflicted of the disease. Still, at least two million male Americans have already acquired the disease..

Age. For some time, bone mass remains stable and there is a perfect equilibrium between bone formation and bone resorption.~For a certain period, your bone mass remains stable and there is a perfect balance between bone resorption and bone formation.~For some time, your bone density remains normal and there is a good balance in the bone remodeling cycle.} However,as you grow older, bone mass begins to decrease, leaning towards osteoporosis. In the case of women, bone loss sets in a few years after menopause and the rate gradually increases.

Race. Although anyone from all races may be afflicted with osteoporosis, the disease stands even more likely to occur among Caucasian and Asian races.

Body Type. Osteoporosis seem to pose a bigger threat to people with small and thin figure.

Family and personal history. You may be likely to suffer osteoporosis if there is a family member diagnosed with osteoporosis. Moreover, a family background of fractures suggests a higher tendency of sustaining fractures. Also, people who have obtained a fracture in the past are more likely to endure another fracture than healthy individuals with the same age and sex.

If you feel susceptible to osteoporosis based on the risk factors mentioned above, it is advised that you ask your doctor about your risk. This way, early detection of the disease will be done and you might be prescribed with prevention drugs, including Fosamax, which puts Merck & Co at the center of a Fosamax class action lawsuit arising from its reported adverse effects.

References:
mayoclinic.com/health/osteoporosis/DS00128/DSECTION=risk-factors
medes.fr/home_fr/applications_sante/osteoporose/eristo/osteoporosis/Bone_Remodeling.html
umm.edu/patiented/articles/who_gets_osteoporosis_000018_5.htm