Risk Factors for Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes weakness in the bones, leading to an increased risk of fracture. There are differences between men and women when it comes to osteoporosis.
“In many cases, the risk factors for osteoporosis are very similar in men and women,” says Dr. Larry Dian, a geriatric specialist at the Prohealth Clinical Research Centre who is also active in the Men's Health Initiative of BC. “An overactive thyroid gland can cause osteoporosis, so can problems with calcium metabolism or problems with the parathyroid hormone. If you have excess cortisone or steroid prednisone, that's a risk factor for osteoporosis.”
Some of the other risk factors for osteoporosis in both men and women can be found here.
“The biggest difference between men and women is that the male skeleton depends on testosterone, the male sex hormone,” says Dr. Dian. “And, if something happens to the men's sex hormone either because of a problem that the person is born with, or as a part of treatment, then the risk of having osteoporosis is much higher.”
Are you at risk of osteoporosis? Talk to a healthcare provider near you.
