Bone loss happens naturally as we get older, so everyone is at risk of osteoporotic fractures. However, after the menopause, women are much more at risk than men. The menopause is the time when a woman’s periods stop, usually around their late forties or early fifties. At that time, the ovaries stop producing the female hormone, oestrogen, which normally helps the lining of the womb to get ready for a possible pregnancy. Oestrogen also helps to maintain healthy bone, so a reduction in this hormone after the menopause greatly speeds up bone loss.
There are other factors that increase the risk of someone developing osteoporosis. These include:
Lifestyle factors can also play an important part,
including smoking, drinking a lot of alcohol, dieting
or suffering from an eating disorder.
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Last Updated 06/03/2008 17:20:02
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