Risk factors for Osteoporosis

These factors increase your chance of developing osteoporosis. Tell your doctor if you have any of these risk factors:

• Sex: female
• Age: risk increases with age
• Body size: small, underweight women
• Race: Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic women
• Family members with osteoporosis
• Postmenopausal status
• No menstrual periods ( amenorrhea )
• Low-calcium diet
• Medications:
  • Immunosuppressants, such as prednisone and other steroids, methotrexate , cyclosporine
  • Thyroid drugs
  • Anticonvulsants
  • Aluminum-containing antacids
  • Cholesterol-lowering drugs
  • Long-term heparin therapy
  • Antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)
  • Inhaled steroids
  • Glitazones *³
• Low estrogen levels in women
• Low testosterone levels in men
• Inactive lifestyle
• Too little sunlight
• Depression
• Anorexia
• Cigarette smoking
• Excessive use of alcohol, coffee, and tea
• Diseases including:
  • Liver disease, including cirrhosis
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Scurvy
  • Alcoholism
  • Marfan's , Ehler-Danlos , and osteogenesis imperfecta syndromes
  • Cushing's syndrome
  • Hyperparathyroidism
  • Cancer, including lymphoma and multiple myeloma
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, including celiac disease and other malabsorptive disorders
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (particularly men)
  • Inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus