Why Do Young People Get Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis causes the bones to become porous and brittle enough to break easily (even from a normally harmless fall). The exact cause of the disease is unknown, but there are several risk factors that increase the likelihood the condition will develop, including use of certain corticosteroid medicines, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption and poor calcium intake. Any or a combination of these can stunt the process of bone replenishment in the body. If any of these conditions are done to an extreme, the age at which osteoporosis is likely to develop will decrease, and can lead to poor bone structure even in young people.

Low Bone Mass

• The body constantly breaks down old bone and creates new bone. Most people will reach their highest bone mass around age 30, after which point old bone will be broken down faster than it is created. In people with osteoporosis, there are not only a lack of enough minerals present in the body to create new strong bones, but the bone that develops is porous and weak. The more healthy your bones are when the peak period of development is reached, the longer your bones will remain strong. Those with a higher bone mass are less likely to develop osteoporosis.

Lowered Estrogen Levels

• Those with diseases that result in a lowered estrogen level or menopausal women with lowered estrogen are more likely to develop osteoporosis. Although women are more likely to experience to develop a drop in estrogen levels, men also can also experience the condition if their estrogen and testosterone levels drop enough. A lack of estrogen inhibits the body's ability to absorb and properly use calcium, which is required for bone production.

Tobacco Use

• Tobacco users are at an increased risk for developing osteoporosis. It is uncertain whether smoking has a negative effect on the bones due to the smoking itself, or whether conditions that are very common in smokers are the problem: Smokers tend to weigh less than nonsmokers, resulting in smaller bones. People who smoke tend toward higher alcohol consumption, which itself is considered a risk factor. Smokers may be less physically active, where regular exercise helps strengthen the bones. And because smoking decreases appetite, the smoker's mineral intake is decreased. All of these factors can play a role in lessening the age at which a person develops osteoporosis. Furthermore, female smokers can have an earlier menopause, which itself is a contributing risk factor.

Medications

• Corticosteroid medications such as prednisone damage bones, and patients using these type of drugs long-term should have bone density checked regularly. Breast cancer drugs also are damaging to your bones, as is the cancer drug methotrexate. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), anti-seizure medicines and antacids containing aluminum can also increase or speed up the process of bone loss.

Other Factors

• Having certain weight loss surgeries can inhibit the absorption of calcium and minerals in the body. Life-long conditions such as Crohn's disease, celiac disease, Cushing's disease and multiple sclerosis can elevate the likelihood of osteoporosis developing. In Cushing's, corticosteroids that are naturally produced in the adrenal glands are too high, causing bone loss similar to that of a person who takes the medication form of the steroid.