Osteoporosis and Men

Men gain more bone mass than women during adolescence and adulthood and they lose less bone later in life. This is why women are twice as likely as men to develop osteoporosis.

However, as in women, sex hormones can play a role in male bone loss. Hypogonadism and the gradual decline of the sex hormone testosterone can cause fragile bones in men. While menopausal women lose bone due to increased bone resorption, men probably lose bone due to decreased bone formation.

Most men who develop osteoporosis earlier in life do so due to secondary causes, such as:

• excessive alcohol intake
• tobacco use
• lack of physical activity
• low calcium intake
• reduced strength and activity due to an illness
• small build or leanness
• drug therapy, for example, long-term use of corticosteroids, such as prednisone (used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and Crohn's disease)

Treating Male Osteoporosis

Treatment for men with osteoporosis can include:

• weight-bearing exercise
• fall prevention
• increased calcium and vitamin D intake
• medication, such as bisphosphonates
• hormone therapy using testosterone

More research and education is needed to help us prevent and treat osteoporosis in men.

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