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Causes
The critical years for building bone mass are from prior to adolescence to about age 30. Then, after about 35, as part of the natural aging process, your bones begin to break down faster than new bone can be formed. In women, bone loss accelerates after menopause, when the ovaries stop producing estrogen--the hormone that protects against bone loss. Osteoporosis develops when bone resorption occurs too quickly or if replacement occurs too slowly. It is more likely to develop if you did not reach optimal bone mass during your bone-building years.
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Men who have low testosterone levels, take prednisone, drink heavily or smoke a lot, or who have other medical conditions such as kidney stones (which are associated with calcium loss in the urine) are at risk for osteoporosis.
When osteoporosis occurs, the "holes" in the "sponge" grow larger and more numerous as bone mass is lost at an accelerated rate, weakening the internal structure of the bone. That sets the stage for fractures.
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