A combination of genetic, dietary, hormonal, age-related, and lifestyle factors all contribute to this condition. Consider osteoporosis as an insidious condition that drains away bone, the hardest, most durable substance in the body. It happens slowly, over years, so that often neither doctor nor patient is aware of weakening bones until one snaps unexpectedly. It's the primary cause of hip fracture, which can lead to permanent disability, loss of independence, and sometimes even death.
Lives collapse too.
Bending to pick up something. It threatens 25 million Americans, mostly older women, but older men get it too. One in three women past 50 will suffer a vertebral fracture, according to the foundation. These numbers are predicted to rise as the population ages. Changing attitudes and improving technology are brightening the outlook for people with osteoporosis.