How Osteoporosis Develops

Osteoporosis-related bone fractures occur mostly in older people. However, this fate is usually pre-determined long before a fracture occurs.

There are two major factors in your risk for osteoporosis:

• Your genetics
• Your lifestyle (especially nutrition, physical activity, and use of certain drugs)

Although we can’t change our genetics, we can adjust lifestyle to maximize bone health. There are periods of life that are especially critical to bone development.

The two most important stages of life for developing bones:

• The first two years of life
• Early adolescence to the age of 20 to 25 years

Bones build up most rapidly during these two early life stages. Throughout life, good nutrition and daily physical activity are essential to bone health. These lifestyle choices are especially important during the early bone-building years.

Bone experts view the first 20 or so years of life like a financial advisor views your earning years, when your body can most efficiently build bone and a healthy skeleton. This process is often referred to as accumulating “bone mass.” When it comes to stashing away calcium, your first 25 years are your earning years.

After the mid-twenties or early thirties, bones gradually shift from a maintenance mode into a gradual steady net loss of bone material. If you missed the early window for building a strong skeleton, you head into your later years with a smaller net bone mass “account.” And, the smaller the account, the more likely you will run low before you die with an increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.

Taking the glucocorticoid types of drugs like cortisone and prednisone can greatly increase the risk of osteoporosis - especially if taken for more than three months. These types of corticosteroid drugs are very effective for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, but they must be used conservatively to avoid excessive loss of bone as a long-term side effect.