Osteoporosis, or thinning of the bone, has been the subject of a great deal of recent research and publicity, as its effects have become more widely known. It is not a form of arthritis. Bone thickness and heaviness are usually greatest at about age 30 or 35 in both sexes. Early menopause, removal of the ovaries at an early age, smoking, drinking alcohol, lack of exercise, hyperthyroidism or overtreatment with thyroid hormone, and other conditions all aggravate the bone loss. Bone loss in the elderly may amount to 20 to 30 percent in men and 40 to 50 percent in women.
Vertebral fractures lead to the common hunched-over posture of many elderly people.
Replacing estrogen in women after menopause will stop the bone loss, for at least 10 years, and reduces the risk of fractures. Check the label to see how much elemental calcium is in each pill, and then take the number you need to add up to 1000 or 1500mg. Although there is no official recommendation, men could also benefit from calcium supplements after age 45. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Men over age 55 tend to develop it more frequently in the hips, women in the knees.