These numbers exceed the cost of congestive heart failure, asthma and breast cancer combined. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to convince the reader that the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of osteoporosis is a national health emergency. Basics Of Bone Metabolism Bone is a dynamic organ. As children grow bone is amassed. It continues to be structured and restructured as follows.
Osteoblasts follow along behind the osteoclasts and fill in the defects.
In normal remodeling the amount of bone resorbed and laid down is neutral or in positive balance. Bone continues to accumulate to a peak bone density in the early thirties. 3 Figure 1. In order to be healthy, bone needs weight-bearing work. Decreasing exercise with age also contributes to cumulative bone loss.