Pop quiz: Who needs to be concerned about developing osteoporosis?
a. Women
b. Men
c. Anyone with bones
d. All of the above
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The answer is d: If you’re a man, particularly middle-aged or beyond, you should be concerned with the health of your bones. Although osteoporosis – which causes fragile bones that break too easily – is often thought of as a “women’s problem,” 2 million American men have it, too, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Your bones gain density when you’re young, and they reach their peak when you’re about 30. After that, they become less strong. Although you don’t lose bone mass quickly in your 50s, like women do after menopause, by the age of 65 men and women lose bone at the same speed.
Osteoporosis develops silently, and a fractured bone – usually in the hip, spine, or wrist – will be your first symptom.
Certain factors can make you more likely to develop osteoporosis:
- Getting older
- Having osteoporosis in your family
- Smoking
- Drinking alcohol excessively
- A sedentary lifestyle
- Consuming too little calcium
- Taking steroid medications to treat conditions like asthma or rheumatoid arthritis
Life Line Screening offers a simple, painless test to measure your risk of developing osteoporosis, available for both men and women. You simply place your foot into a device called a bone densitometer, which uses ultrasound to assess the bone mineral density in your heel bone. This provides your doctor with valuable information to help you prevent or treat osteoporosis.
Sources: National Osteoporosis Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Mayo Clinic
Learn more about osteoporosis
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