Osteoporosis and Calcium
Medical Author:
Coburn Hobar, MD
Coauthor:
Amy Bremers
Medical Editor:
Kristine M Lohr, MD
Medical Editor:
Mary L Windle, PharmD
Medical Editor:
Rick Kulkarni, MD
Osteoporosis and Calcium OverviewCalcium is an important nutrient and is needed for many of the body’s functions, including blood clotting and the proper function of the heart, muscles, and nerves. Calcium is also critical for the health and strength of bones. Not getting enough calcium can contribute to the development of osteoporosis (porous bones). Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by bones that are thin and fragile and can break (fracture) easily. People with osteoporosis have low bone mass, and low bone mass can result in bone fractures. Having enough calcium in the diet is essential in helping to prevent osteoporosis and helping to prevent the loss of bone mass. Calcium alone cannot protect a person from bone loss caused by certain medications or diseases, smoking, alcoholism, not enough exercise, or a lack of estrogen. Calcium does help a person maintain healthy bones, though, and it helps children and adolescents grow strong bones. However, only 50-60% of adults and only 10-25% of adolescents in the United States get the recommended amount of calcium. |
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Osteoporosis and Calcium
Osteoporosis in Men Introduction
Osteoporosis (or porous bone) is a disease in which bones become weak and are more likely to break. Without prevention or treatment, osteoporosis can progress without pain or symptoms until a bone breaks (fractures). Fractures commonly occur in the hip, spine, and wrist. Osteoporosis is the underlying cause of more than 1.5 million fractures annually (300,000 hip fractures, approximately 700,000 vertebral fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures, and more than 300,000 fractures in other areas). The estimated national cost (hospitals and nursing homes) for osteoporosis and related injuries is $14 billion each year in the United States.
Although women are more likely to get osteoporosis, it is not just a disease of elderly women. Osteoporosis is more common in white or Asian women older than 50 years, but osteoporosis can occur in almost any person at any age. In fact, more than 2 million American men have oste...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Osteoporosis (Secondary) »
Osteoporosis, a chronic progressive disease, is the most common metabolic bone disease in the United States.
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