Osteoporosis: The Most Common Metabolic Bone Disease

Osteoporosis, meaning porous bones, is the most common metabolic bone disease with over 10 million diagnoses in the United States of America.1 Another 34 million people are affected by osteopenia, the early stages of osteoporosis.1 Osteoporosis decreases bone mass and also causes micro damage to bone structure, increasing the likelihood of fracture and other injuries. There are two classifications of osteoporosis: primary and secondary (primary being the most common type). It affects people of all ages and gender, although its typical onset is post-menopausal women. Primary osteoporosis can be further divided into type 1 and type 2. Type 1 can is described as a deficiency of estrogen that presents post menopause. Type 2 is typically age-related, affecting people over the age of 50 as degenerative changes start to take place within the body.1
Etiology
Etiology

The etiology of primary osteoporosis is unknown but there are several contributory factors that have been identified by Goodman and Fuller, “mild but prolonged negative calcium balance, declining gonadal and adrenal function, relative or progressive estrogen deficiency, and a sedentary lifestyle.”1 Secondary osteoporosis is thought to be caused by prolonged therapy with corticosteroids (heparin, anticonvulsants, other medications), alcoholism, malnutrition, malabsorption, lactose intolerance, endocrine disorders, various other conditions or