Osteoporosis as it Affects Men, Andropausal and Senior Males

Osteoporosis (OP) is a condition that involves bone, and can potentially affect the whole skeleton. OP renders thinning of bone tissue and structures including the cortices and medullary trabeculae. Consequently, OP bones are weak and more susceptible to fracture. Fractures in spine, hip and wrist bones are common with OP. Frequent minor spinal fractures are symptomless, but collectively over time OP microfractures can eventually result in spinal deformity and consequent disability. The North America prevalence of OP is high, with nearly 1/3rd of the population over 60 years suffering from OP. About 50 million North Americans have a low bone mass, and about 44 million Americans and 4.4 million Canadians have OP. OP affects females earlier and more frequently than males, and is a condition that is typically associated with post-menopausal women. However, OP also affects many men. OP tends to occur about one to two decades later in men than in women, and can be just as debilitating and devastating.