Weakened Bones Osteoporosis is a serious medical condition-more serious than most of us realize. Simply defined, it's a loss of bone mass. This causes the bones to become brittle and fragile, so that they break easily. Sometimes an injury as minor as a bumped wrist can result in a fracture.
Osteoporosis is much more common in women than in men.
Before menopause, a woman's natural supplies of the hormone estrogen protect her bones against osteoporosis. Women are at greater risk of osteoporosis if they're of Northern European or Asian ancestry, have a family history of osteoporosis, have a small frame, smoke, drink alcohol, or don't exercise. Another calcium source is sesame seeds. The Chinese use a lot of sesame in their cooking, and have low rates of osteoporosis. Alcohol, caffeine, and sugar worsen bone loss, so minimize your intake of these.