Osteoporosis

Pre-Osteoporosis is also known as:  Osteopenia

Osteoporosis is a condition where Bones become porous, brittle and less dense as a result of a loss of Bone mass.  Osteoporosis occurs as a result of Osteoclast dominance (i.e. Osteoclast-mediated Bone resorption occurs to a greater extent than Osteoblast-mediated Bone building).

 Menopausal and post-Menopausal Caucasian women have the highest incidence of Osteoporosis (due to female bioavailability of Calcium decreasing after the Menopause and also due to Calcium being "leached" from the Bones of females during Pregnancy and Lactation):

 25% - 30% of white and oriental women;  and 20% of black women;  develop Osteoporosis.

 Men have approximately 25% the rate of Osteoporosis as females (for example 6.25% - 7.5% of white Caucasian men develop Osteoporosis).

 33% of females and 15% of males experience a Hip Fracture by the age of 90 (Hip Fractures almost always occur as a result of Osteoporosis).

 Female Osteoporosis typically commences about 15 years prior to Menopause with Bone losses occurring at the rate of approximately 1% per year.

 At Menopause Bone loss accelerates to 3% - 5% per year for approximately five years, after which Bone loss continues at the rate of approximately 1.5% per year.

 Between the ages of 45 and 75m women lose 30% of their skeletal structure (and males lose 15%).

 There is an Hereditary element to the risk of developing Osteoporosis.

 Underweight persons have a higher risk of developing Osteoporosis.

 77% of Osteoporosis patients are female.

 Osteoporosis afflicts approximately 10% of the population of Western nations at any given time.

 After the age of 50, 6% of all men will suffer a hip Fracture as a result of Osteoporosis.

 Osteoporosis - Prevention/Treatment

Alkaloids

 Excessive consumption of Caffeine may increase the risk of Osteoporosis.  ^[1]

Amino Acids

 Elevated Homocysteine levels may be an underlying cause of Osteoporosis (Homocysteine interferes with optimal Collagen Cross-linking, resulting in impaired structure of the Bone matrix).  ^[2]

 Long-term high dosages of Methionine may predispose susceptible persons to increased risk of Osteoporosis.

Enzymes

 Excessive production/activity of Collagenase may increase the risk of Osteoporosis (Collagenase destroys the Collagen content of Bones).

Hormones

 Excessive production of Cortisol may cause Osteoporosis (by accelerating bone loss).

 Exogenous Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH) should not be administered for periods longer than six months as excessive LHRH may increase the risk of Osteoporosis.