Osteoporosis Risk In Men - Who Gets Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis

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Osteoporosis risk in men

Two factors make men less vulnerable than women to bone loss: They have a greater bone density at maturity, and they experience a more gradual decline in hormone levels. Nevertheless, two million men in the United States have the disease.

Men aren't immune Osteoporosis is often thought of as a women's disease. While osteoporosis does affect more women than men, many people don't realize that a significant number of men — about two million in the United States alone — have this condition. In fact, a 50-year-old man has a 13% chance of breaking his hip, spine, or wrist at some point in the future. The 2004 Surgeon General's report on bone health and osteoporosis warned that the notion that only women get osteoporosis can lead to delays in identifying and treating the disease in men. One of the goals of the Surgeon General's report is to increase awareness among the public and health professionals that osteoporosis affects men as well as women. About 20% of Americans with osteoporosis are men.

When men under age 75 develop osteoporosis, it's often because of an underlying condition and is considered secondary, rather than primary, osteoporosis. Many of the most common causes of secondary osteoporosis in men can also cause osteoporosis in women. In these cases, treatments address the condition or conditions that are responsible. For example, testosterone replacement therapy, administered through injections or a patch, can boost low testosterone levels in men and help retard bone loss.

The risk factors for osteoporosis that are particularly relevant to men include the following:

Medications. Glucocorticoid usage is one of the most common causes of secondary osteoporosis. This class of medications is used to treat asthma, arthritis, and other diseases. Anticonvulsants, some drugs given to organ transplant patients, and certain cancer drugs also increase risk.

Low sex hormones. In men, testosterone levels may fall with age.

Heavy alcohol use. As is the case with women, heavy drinking can damage bone health by reducing bone mass. In addition, alcohol interferes with balance, making falls more likely.

Gastrectomy. This operation — in which part or all of the stomach is removed — can reduce the amount of calcium the body absorbs.

Medical conditions. See "Possible causes of secondary osteoporosis."

Other factors. As with women, the following factors place men at greater risk of developing osteoporosis: heredity, aging, inactivity, smoking, low calcium levels, and ethnicity (Caucasian men are most in jeopardy of developing osteoporosis).

Last updated:	January 23, 2007