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remains. Among young people this process is balanced and the amount of bone resorption is completely replaced during bone formation. As age
increases, however, less bone tissue is formed compared to the mass and therefore resorption causes an accumulated bone loss.
1. Osteoporosis in Women
Osteoporosis is a major age related disease affecting millions of women throughout the world. It is characterized by a decreased amount of
bone and increased susceptibility to fracture. In women, the loss of bone mass increases as they go through menopause. A decrease in estrogen
hormone level results an increase of bone loss Wolff et al., 1999. The loss of bone occurs silently and progressively. Often there are no
symptoms until the first fracture occurs. Postmenopausal osteoporosis happens during and after menopause as level of the bone-building
hormone, estrogen, declines, which is also called type 1 primary osteoporosis.
In most women, menopause occurs around age 50. Estrogen level begins to fall 2 to 3 years before last menstrual cycle. The decline
continues until 3 to 4 years after last menstrual cycle. Bone loss accelerates because estrogen, which provides valuable assistance in
maintaining bone health, is no longer sufficiently available. A woman may lose 1 to 3 percent of bone mass a year during the first 5 to 7 years after
menopause. Around age 70, bone loss slows but doesnt stop. By old age, many women have lost 35 percent to 50 percent of their bone mass.
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2. Osteoporosis Treatment
Although osteoporosis is more common in women than in men, the incidence in men is also increasing. The disability, mortality, and cost of
hip and vertebral fractures are substantial in the rapidly growing, aging population so that prevention and treatment of osteoporosis is a major
public health concern Meyer et al., 2000 No certain treatment is yet available for osteoporosis once it is
established. Fluoride, which stimulates bone formation, may decrease bone resorption but do not necessarily increase bone mass and therefore prevent
further fractures. Recent evidences have, however, suggested that estrogen treatment in osteoporotic women significantly increases spinal bone mass
and reduces the rate of vertebral fracture Albertsson et al., 2007.
3. Osteoporosis Fractures
