Facts about Ageing Bones | Understanding the Causes of Ageing Bones

Ageing is a natural process that decreases bone density. As a person ages, the relative activity levels of bone cells change, leading to more breakdown than build-up. This results in loss of bone mass and a decrease in bone density. Bone density loss is progressive, starting at the age of 30 and persisting throughout a person's entire life. The loss of bone density increases the risk of stress fractures due to bone weakness.

In women, hormonal imbalances or a rapid change in hormone levels is another potential cause of low bone density. The female hormones estrogen, produced in the ovaries during a woman's fertile life, helps regulate bone density. Specifically, estrogen signals for an increase in bone density and helps “lock-in” calcium to maintain bone strength. Women entering menopause experience a dramatic drop in their estrogen levels because their ovaries begin to shut down and stop producing estrogen. This loss of estrogen is followed by a loss of bone density and increased risk of bone fractures.