It affects as many as 5 million older American men, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. And if you still don't believe that men are vulnerable to osteoporosis, consider that up to a quarter of all hip fractures in the United States happen to men. Just as women, men lose bone mass as they age. In some men, the process can be accelerated by alcohol intake along with poor dietary, exercise and other habits. The risk factors for osteoporosis are the same in men as in women.
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium.
Balding is not a risk factor. Although slowly falling levels of the male hormone testosterone in men over age 50 put them at risk for joint and spinal problems in their 70s and 80s, a man's chances of breaking his hip at the age of 70 are largely determined by the strength of his bones at 18. In fact, nearly 90 percent of adult skeletal mass is formed by the end of the teen-age years. Once optimum bone mass is reached, between the ages of 20 and 30, people can work to maintain their bones, but further growth is impossible. The best ways to stem bone loss include limiting alcohol intake, stopping smoking and engaging in weightbearing exercise at least three times a week.