Whether you know it or not, you depend on your bones for almost everything you do. They hold and protect your internal organs and provide the anchor to which muscles attach so you can move.
Osteoporosis is a condition of weakened bones due to loss of calcium and minerals.
People with bone density more than 2 standard deviations below an average young adults bone density are at risk for breaking bones from something as simple as coughing or bending over. Although it is less common in men, it is a major source of grief for both sexes. It is caused by progressive loss of bone through the natural cycle of breaking down and reforming bone which goes on throughout our lives. In most people older than 30 the breakdown process is faster than the build-up so we tend to lose bone mass. In women, this imbalance is even greater following menopause and they lose bone very quickly due to a sudden lack of estrogen and progesterone.