Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the bones to become thin and brittle.
The loss of bone mass increases the risk of fractures. The most common sites of fractures are the wrist, spine and hip. The disease afflicts an estimated 10 million Americans, mostly elderly women, although men and younger women can get the disease. Older women are at an increased risk for osteoporosis because at the time of menopause, the loss of estrogen causes rapid loss in bone density. Osteoporosis is a serious health problem.