What are the causes of osteoporosis in men?

The causes of bone loss in men often relate to genetic, environmental, hormonal, and disease-specific related factors. Since osteoporosis in men may correlate to an underlying physical disorder, men should seek a careful clinical evaluation. We find a surprisingly large number of men with low testosterone levels that have osteoporosis. In older patients, osteoporosis may simply result from old age, but in contrast to women, more than half of all cases of osteoporosis in men have an underlying disease or medications as the cause.
Causes for osteoporosis include:

• hormonal disorders, such as an overactive thyroid, Parathyroid disease, and Low testosterone;
• gastrointestinal disorders, such as malabsorption syndromes, inflammatory bowel disease, gluten etheropathy, and post gastrectomy;
• hypercalciuria;
• neuromuscular disorders;
• systemic illnesses;
• treatment for prostate cancer (which leads to low testosterone);
• malnutrition;
• advanced age;
• too little exercise;
• insufficient intake of Vitamin D and Calcium;
• smoking;
• heavy alcohol use;
• opiate use;
• HIV;
• medications: Steroids (for example, Prednisone), other immunosuppressive medication, medication for seizures (for example, Dilantin).