All of my aunts have had bone fractures from osteoporosis. Not one male in the family has ever been affected. Why is that?
Men can be affected by osteoporosis, but the ratio is four to one. That means four women have osteoporosis for every one man with this condition. When men are affected, they are usually much older (over 75 years old). Since many men don't live this long, there are fewer cases of osteoporosis in men.
There are several other reasons why women have osteoporosis more often than men. Boys have more skeletal mass build up during growth compared to girls. As a result, men have more bone size per square inch. The change in estrogen levels after menopause has a direct effect on women. Men may have some hormonal changes. These are much less and slower in men compared to women.
There are other risk factors that affect men and women equally. These include smoking, alcohol abuse, and poor diet. Inactivity and too little sunshine (a source of vitamin D) can increase anyone's chances of developing osteoporosis.
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