Osteopenia in menOsteopenia in menYou do not have to be a woman to develop osteopenia or osteoporosis. Men develop this condition too. Because many people do not think about bone loss in men, many men are not diagnosed until their bone loss has advancedto a more serious stage. Evidence for Osteopenia in men has been accumulating for some time. In 2006 there was an article, "Study of Male Patients with Forearm Fracture in Northern Ireland" was published in a 2006 issues of Clinical Rheumatology. Clinicians asked male patients in Northern Ireland aged 30-75 years who had experienced a distal forearm fracture in 2000-2001 to consent to a dexa scan. "Thirty seven consented to have bone mineral density measurements undertaken at the femoral neck, spine and forearm using a Lunar expert bone densitometer. Twenty-seven percent of the men had osteoporosis at the spine, femoral neck or forearm, as defined by a bone mineral density score of less than -2.5. ..." "49% of patients had vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency, 27% had low serum testosterone, 14% had abnormal liver function test results, and 14% had raised parathyroid hormone." An article, "Prevention and treatment of nonpostmenopausal osteoporosis" by Hansen LB, Vondracek SF noted that several groups besides postmenopausal womenare at risk. "..patients taking certain medications that affect bone health and those with various health conditions. . . including anorexia nervosa, hyperthyroidism, organ transplantation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. Glucocorticoids are the most common secondary cause of osteoporosis. Other medications that have been implicated as secondary causes include anticonvulsants, heparin, warfarin, and methotrexate. " Men who have low testosterone levels will consult an endocrinologist. But men with Osteopenia or Osteoporosis should also read sections on this web site, especially those concerning exercise, nutrition, and supplements. Articles you may find helpful:
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