Causes of
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is majorly of two types1
Primary Osteoporosis
- Primary osteoporosis is often associated with age and sex hormone deficiency.
- Age-related osteoporosis results from the continuous deterioration of the trabeculae (small, often microscopic, tissue element in the form of a small beam, strut or rod that supports or anchors a framework of parts within a body or organ) in bone.
![Primary Osteoporosis](https://goodhealthwecare.org/?brizy_media=wp-c1cbb503da8193e69bebdc458214af7c.png&brizy_crop=iW%3D473%26iH%3D249%26oX%3D22%26oY%3D0%26cW%3D430%26cH%3D249)
![Secondary Osteoporosis](https://goodhealthwecare.org/?brizy_media=wp-ea1f969392d352d000699ca48351eb29.png&brizy_crop=iW%3D430%26iH%3D335%26oX%3D0%26oY%3D0%26cW%3D430%26cH%3D335)
Secondary Osteoporosis
Secondary osteoporosis is caused by several comorbid diseases and/or medications. Several diseases in osteoporosis often involve mechanisms related to the imbalance of calcium, vitamin D and sex hormones.
Also many inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (autoimmune disease that can cause joint pain and damage throughout your body) may require on long-term glucocorticoid therapy and may have been associated with secondary osteoporosis.
Glucocorticoids sometimes are considered the most common medications linked to drug-induced osteoporosis since BMD (Bone mineral density) may decline after initiation of glucocorticoid therapy.
Causes of secondary osteoporosis may differ between genders.
For men
- Excessive alcohol use
- Glucocorticoid use
- Hypogonadism (occurs when your sex glands produce little or no sex hormones)
![Causes of secondary osteoporosis for men](https://goodhealthwecare.org/?brizy_media=wp-971071d177672a3e7bb762b907778e8f.png&brizy_crop=iW%3D341%26iH%3D340%26oX%3D0%26oY%3D0%26cW%3D341%26cH%3D340)
![Causes of secondary osteoporosis for women](https://goodhealthwecare.org/?brizy_media=wp-d6a69539567cc87caf8c1d5013f33a42.png&brizy_crop=iW%3D340%26iH%3D339%26oX%3D21%26oY%3D0%26cW%3D298%26cH%3D339)
For Women
- Hypercalciuria (excess calcium in the urine)
- Malabsorption of calcium, hyperparathyroidism (a condition in which one or more parathyroid glands become overactive and secrete extra parathyroid hormone (PTH) which might increase calcium in the blood)
- Vitamin D deficiency, hyperthyroidism (when thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine which may leads unintentional weight loss or rapid or irregular heartbeat)
- Cushing’s disease (excess of steroid hormone cortisol in blood level caused by pituitary tumor)
- Hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (low to moderate levels of calcium in urine & high levels of calcium in the blood)
References –
- P T. 2018 Feb; 43(2): 92–104.