causes of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis Cause and Picture - The consequences of osteoporosis are devastating.
Like skin, bone constantly regenerates itself. The process works like this: Cells known as osteoclasts eat away old bone, while cells known as osteoblasts lay down new bone at the site of the old bone. It is a constantly ongoing process, which keeps the human skeletal structure strong.

Unfortunately, after the age of 35 the work of the bone-building osteoblasts begins to slow, while the osteoclasts continue to eat away at old bone structure at virtually the same pace as before. The end result is that the osteoblasts are unable to replace old bone fast enough to keep up with the ever-efficient osteoclasts.

This process appears to be an integral and orderly part of growing old. Like wrinkling skin, it generally proceeds very slowly in humans, corresponding with the normal aging process. Yet in a certain percentage of individuals the bone loss process seems to be accelerated, with some individuals losing as much as 1% or more bone density every year after reaching middle age. Scientists now estimate that for every 10% bone density loss, risk of fracture doubles.