Osteoporosis is a disease that affects bones. Everyone’s bones become thinner and weaker as they get older. You have osteoporosis when your bones become so thin and weak they’re at risk of breaking when they normally wouldn’t break.
- It’s called the ‘silent thief’ because the first symptom is usually a broken bone (fracture). These breaks can cause pain, deformity, disability, and can make it hard for you to keep living on your own.
- Fractures from osteoporosis are more common than heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer combined.
- In Canada, at least 1 out of 3 women and 1 out of 5 men over the age of 50 will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis.
What causes osteoporosis?
As we age, we lose bone tissue faster than we make it. This means our bones become thinner (less dense) and weaker. This usually happens because we make less of the hormones that help to maintain bone (such as estrogen). Other factors that increase the risk are:
- age, sex, and body type
- menopause (estrogen keeps bones healthy)
- family history and race/ethnicity
- lifestyle
Although men usually have a greater bone mass than women, they can also have bone loss. As they age, men also lose bone mass so should follow the lifestyle changes recommended to prevent or delay osteoporosis
What can happen after a hip fracture?
- Hip fractures related to osteoporosis are a serious problem in older adults or people with certain health issues. Some people can’t live on their own anymore and will need extra care.
- Without treatment, 1 in 5 people who fracture their hip will break another bone within 1 year. Another 1 in 2 will break another bone within 5 years.
How can I lower my fracture risk?
Some important things you can do include:
- get enough vitamin D
- add calcium in your diet
- be active every day
- don’t smoke
- talk to your health professional about osteoporosis medicine
Osteoporosis Medicine
The goal of treatment is to prevent or slow bone loss and lower the risk of fracture. There are different treatment choices.
Everyone is different—some people respond better to one drug than another, while some have side effects that others don’t. It’s important to speak to your doctor to learn the benefits and risks of each treatment, and decide which is best for you.
