Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease that causes bone tissue to lose density and become weak. The name of the disease means ‘porous bone’, and results in a progressive weakening of the bone leading to an increased risk of fractures.1
In the UK alone, approximately three million people have osteoporosis and there are over 230,000 osteoporosis fractures every year as a result.2 Overall, it is estimated that around one in two women, and one in eight men, aged over fifty years will have an osteoporosis fracture in their lifetime.3 As is evident from this statistic, osteoporosis is more common in women; with the disease affecting about 20% of women aged 60-69 in the UK.2
Human bone consists of a thick, protective outer shell, commonly called compact bone, which is made of calcium, minerals, and other hardy substances. Encased within this outer layer is an inner layer called trabecular bone. This bone, also known as spongy bone, consists of a collagen mesh of minerals, blood vessels, and bone marrow giving it a honeycomb appearance. In healthy bodies the spongy bone is dense and the spaces within the mesh cavities are very small. When a person is affected by osteoporosis, the bone cavity spaces become larger which makes the bone less elastic and more likely to break.2,1
Bone is a living tissue that constantly replaces itself via two sets of specialised cells: osteoblasts (cells that help new bone to grow) and osteoclasts (cells that help break down old bone). The average peak age of bone density is when you are around twenty-five years old4,but this varies between individuals. Bone density can also vary between different genetic groups and environmental factors that may be present.1
After the age when peak bone density is reached, the rate at which old bone is replaced and new bone is generated begins to slow, resulting in a net weakening of the bone. This process begins gradually, but speeds up after about the age of fifty.4 Although the osteoporosis disease can occur at any age, the risk increases with age as a result of the bone ageing process.3
Osteoporosis is a progressive disease with varying stages. When it first starts to develop, it’s extremely hard to detect. In older patients, where the disease has progressed significantly and where there are outward signs like fractures or curvature of the spine, osteoporosis is easier to identify.
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Last Updated 20/09/2011 07:33:50
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