What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the bones, making them weak and brittle. As the bones become brittle, even a slight bend or cough can cause a fracture (break the bone). Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men, but men can also develop the condition. By age 70, men catch up with women in the rate of bone loss. Because men are older when they develop osteoporosis, fractures can lead to more serious complications. What are the risk factors for osteoporosis in men? Bone loss in men usually occurs later in life and progresses more slowly. Unlike women, men do not have a period of rapid hormonal change that causes bone loss. By age 65 or 70, men and women begin to lose bone mass at the same rate, and calcium, which is important for bone health, begins to decline in both sexes. Excessive bone loss eventually makes bones more fragile and more likely to break. Research shows that when men suffer osteoporosis fractures, they are at greater risk of disability. Osteoporotic fractures most commonly affect the hip, spine, or wrist. Hip fractures in older men are more dangerous. According to studies, one-third of hip fractures occur in men, and they are twice as likely to die within a year of a hip fracture. Risk factors for men that lead to bone loss and fractures include: Certain medications, such as proton pump inhibitors, antidepressants, dopamine antagonists, thiazolidinediones, and immunosuppressants; Chronic diseases of the kidneys, lungs or stomach or diseases that can change hormone levels; Undiagnosed low testosterone levels; Unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking, excessive alcohol use, low calcium intake and a sedentary lifestyle; Advancing age; Family history (a family history of osteoporosis) Race – white men appear to have the highest risk of developing osteoporosis, however men of all ethnic groups can develop the condition. Bibliography: NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases. Osteoporosis in men Johns Hopkins Medicine. Osteoporosis: What you need to know as you age Williams S, Daigle S, Weiss R, et al. Characterization of older male patients with a fragility fracture