Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the bone structure, making bones very fragile due to a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD).
It often affects older adults and people who don’t exercise regularly, especially women.
To help prevent osteoporosis, it’s recommended to consume calcium-rich foods (such as milk) and exercise regularly.
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Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which the bone mineral density (BMD) decreases.
The micro-architecture of the bone is disrupted, the amount and variety of non-collagenous proteins are altered, and the bones become fragile.
In advanced stages, a bone can fracture from something as simple as a muscle contraction.
Bone density typically reaches its peak around the age of 20.
If your bone density decreases to a level 2.5 standard deviations below the peak bone mass (PBM), the condition is called osteoporosis (meaning “porous bone”).
If your BMD is 1 to 2.5 standard deviations below the average PBM for your gender, you are diagnosed with osteopenia — a condition indicating that your bone mass is below average and that you should make lifestyle changes.
However, this doesn’t mean your bones are so weak that you’ll break your wrist just by shaking someone’s hand.
Women are at a higher risk than men, especially after menopause, due to hormonal changes.
Additionally, the average peak bone mass in women is lower than in men.
Strict or unbalanced diets that many young women follow can increase the risk.
Smokers and people taking hormonal medications are also at higher risk.
Bones most commonly affected by osteoporosis:
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