Most people consider osteoporosis a woman's disease. That's not completely off base because the majority of osteoporosis cases affect women. However, out of the 10 million Americans who have the disease, 2 million of them are men. That's 20 percent.

Millions of men have osteopenia, which is a decrease in bone mass but not to the extent that it's osteoporosis. This does, however, mean they're at risk of developing osteoporosis as they age.

Question:
My doctor told me that I am at a high risk for fractures—I am post-menopausal, have a low bone mineral density, and have a family history of osteoporosis. She mentioned Forteo injections as a possible treatment for me. Will you tell me more about this medication? Why am I a good candidate?
—Augusta, GA

Answer:
From your history, it sounds like you have several factors that increase your risk of suffering a fracture related to low bone density or osteoporosis. Some of the causes of osteoporosis are things you don’t really have control over, such as the fact that a family member had osteoporosis or that you’re post-menopausal. The key consideration for you and your doctor is ...

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) introduced a new risk assessment program called FRAX (fracture risk assessment tool). This revolutionary method may offer medical professionals unparalleled accuracy in osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment.