May is Osteoporosis Month

Did you know¦

*May is Osteoporosis Month

*Long considered a "Woman's Disease", it is also a threat to men

*Osteoporosis is known as the "silent disease" because most people do not know they have it until they fix a bone

*Nearly half of all women and 20% of all men have an osteoporosis fracture in their lifetime

*More than 2 million men have osteoporosis and 3 million more are at risk for the disease

*A contributing factor for osteoporosis is that many medications that are taken for other conditions can cause bone loss as a side effect

*Osteoporosis is largely preventable for most people through a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, weight-bearing exercise, avoidance of smoking and alcohol, bone density testing and medications when needed