Osteoporosis risk factors

There is a number of osteoporosis risk factors, that under certain circumstances or if combine may result in osteoporosis. Some of them cannot be changed or avoided, while others are very much preventable. It is important to understand all the possible range of osteoporosis risk factors in order to prevent or treat the condition.

The unchangeable risk factors for osteoporosis include:

-         gender, women are proven to be a lot more likely to develop osteoporosis than men;

-         age, as you age the risk of getting osteoporosis becomes greater;

-         race, people of Caucasian or of Asian descent as the potential risk group;

-         family history, if you have parents or even siblings that have osteoporosis, you are more likely to develop it yourself, especially if there is a family history of bone fractures;

-          frame size, both men and women that have little body frames are usually at a higher risk of getting osteoporosis because their bodies have less bone mass to take from when they get older.

Talking about risk factors of osteoporosis, it is important to mention hormone levels. People who either have and excess or a lack of certain hormones in their systems may be at risk of getting osteoporosis. Such hormones may be:

-         Sex hormones, women may develop this disease when the estrogen levels drop during or after the menopause, or as a result of certain cancer treatments. Men usually experience a reduction of testosterone levels that comes with age. When either estrogen or testosterone levels are decreased the bones become weaker;

-         Problems with the thyroid gland, the excess of thyroid hormone is typically associated with bone loss. Such an excess may take place when the thyroid is overactive or if too much of the thyroid hormone medication is being taken to help treat an underactive thyroid.

-         Problems with other glands, overactive parathyroid and/or adrenal glands may also be responsible for osteoporosis development.

Your diet is also a key element in evaluating osteoporosis risk factors. If there is not enough calcium in the system, it causes the diminished bone density, forced early bone loss, and increases the risk of bone fractures. A lack of required Vitamin D levels may also contributed to develop the condition.

People who have eating disorders are also at risk, especially if the eating disorder is that of anorexia. If there is not enough food consumed, there is not enough calcium ingested. If as a result of anorexia, menstruation in women has been stopped, osteoporosis may be more likely to occur.

Some people who have experienced a weight-loss surgery may develop the disease, because the reduction of the stomach size means that less nutrients (including calcium) are able to absorb.

Such medication as steroids may contribute to bone loss. Prednisone and cortisone does not allow for the bone to be rebuilt in the natural way. Medications to help treat seizures, depression, gastric reflux, and cancer are also associated with osteoporosis.

Finally, the lifestyle is also among the osteoporosis risk factors. People who do not get enough exercises, smoke, or over use alcohol are at risk of developing osteoporosis.