Osteoporosis occurs when the body fails to form enough new bone, or when too much old bone is reabsorbed by the body, or both. Calcium and phosphate are two minerals that are essential for normal bone formation.

Throughout youth, the body uses these minerals to produce bones. If calcium intake is not sufficient, or if the body does not absorb enough calcium from the diet, bone production and bone tissues may suffer.

As people age, calcium and phosphate may be reabsorbed back into the body from the bones, which makes the bone tissue weaker. Both situations can result in brittle, fragile bones that are subject to fractures, even in the absence of trauma.

Usually, the loss occurs gradually over years. Many times, a person will sustain a fracture before becoming aware that the disease is present. By the time this occurs, the disease is in its advanced stages and damage is profound.

While there are a number of causes of osteoporosis, hormone deficiencies (estrogen in women and testosterone in men) are the leading cause. Women, especially over the age of 50, are the most frequent sufferers of the disease. This is due to the loss of ovarian function and subsequent reduction in estrogen production that occurs at the time of menopause.

Other causes include corticosteroid excess from Cushing's syndrome, hyperthyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, immobilization, and bone malignancies.

Researchers estimate that 13% to 18% of American women over the age of 50 have osteoporosis. In addition, 30% of them have osteopenia, which is abnormally low bone density that may eventually deteriorate into osteoporosis, if not treated.

From these figures, researchers estimate that 50% of women over the age of 50 will suffer a fracture of the hip, wrist, or vertebra. Fewer men over the age of 50 have osteoporosis, with researchers estimating that 3-6% suffer from this disorder. In 1995, direct medical expenditures relating to osteoporotic fractures totaled $13.8 billion.

Risk factors, in addition to menopause and advanced age, include genetic and ethnic background. Women who are white, especially those with a family history of osteoporosis, have a greater risk of developing osteoporosis. In fact, it is estimated that one out of two white women will experience a fracture relating to osteoporosis at some point in her life.

Smoking, eating disorders, low body weight, low amount of calcium in the diet, heavy alcohol consumption, early menopause, absence of menstrual periods (amenorrhea), and use of certain medications, such as steroids and anticonvulsants, are also risk factors.

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