Who is most at risk for developing osteoporosis?

More than 28 million Americans either have osteoporosis or are at risk of it, but the disease primarily hits people over the age of 65. It's often considered a women's disease because of the current statistics: 25 percent of women over 65 have the disease compared to 15 percent of men, and one-third of women will suffer a broken bone due to osteoporosis compared to one-sixth of men.

Osteoporosis isn't gender-specific. As men's average life spans keep increasing, we're seeing the osteoporosis rates of men increase as well. When men get to the age of 75, their rate of having the disease increases to 25 percent, too. Women just tend to get osteoporosis earlier because men's bone density and bone mass are naturally thicker.

Women also lose density after menopause, since they lose some estrogen, which is paramount in helping deposit calcium. But men catch up later because as they reach 75, they lack both the mass and sufficient estrogen and testosterone to help build bone.