Osteoporosis is a health problem that causes the bones to become brittle and weak. So feeble that even a slight movement like bending over can cause a fracture. Furthermore,
most of these osteoporosis-related fractures occur in the wrist, hip, or spine.
Both men and women can become susceptible to osteoporosis. However, it mostly affects women, especially those who are already in their golden years, or in their menopause stage.
Why Are Women More Susceptible to Osteoporosis than Men?
The US has an estimate of 10 million Americans who have osteoporosis. Out of this quantity, 80% are women. Moreover, about one in two women over 50 of age will break a bone due to osteoporosis.
The above-mentioned facts are because of the following reasons:
- Women most likely have thinner and smaller bones compared to men;
- Estrogen is a hormone in women responsible for protecting the bones. This hormone decreases when women experience menopause. When it does decrease, it can cause bone loss. This is also why women tend to experience osteoporosis when women reach menopause.
As a Woman, What Is Your Risk?
Osteoporosis and other bone οστεοπόρωση health issues vary for women of different ethnic backgrounds and ages. Caucasians and older women are the ones who are most at risk of developing osteoporosis. However, low bone density and osteoporosis are also common among other groups.
Caucasian Women
There are about 20% of Caucasian women at the age of 50 and older who developed osteoporosis. Also, more than half of all Caucasian women at the age of 50 and older are predicted to have low bone mass. This means their bones are becoming weaker, but they don’t have osteoporosis.
Most Caucasian women lose about one-third of the bone mineral density in their hip. Moreover, about 15% of Caucasians are unfortunately lactose intolerant. That’s why it is difficult for them to get enough calcium their bodies need.