Bone Density

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Women
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Strong bones are important for your health. A bone mineral density (BMD) test is the best way to measure your bone health. It compares your bone density, or mass, to that of a healthy person who is the same age and sex as you are. It can show:

• Whether you have osteoporosis, a disease that makes your bones weak
• Your risk for breaking bones
• Whether your osteoporosis treatment is working

Low bone mass that is not low enough to be osteoporosis is sometimes called osteopenia. Causes of low bone mass include family history, not developing good bone mass when you are young, and certain conditions or medicines. Not everyone who has low bone mass gets osteoporosis, but they are at higher risk for getting it.

If you have low bone mass, there are things you can do to help slow down bone loss. These include eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D and doing weight-bearing exercise such as walking, tennis, or dancing. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe medicines to prevent osteoporosis.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Start Here

• Bone Mass Measurement: What the Numbers Mean (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Food and Your Bones -- Osteoporosis Nutrition Guidelines (Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation)
• Low Bone Density (Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation)
• Osteopenia (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Bone Density Scan (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Bone-Density Tests: When You Need a Test and When You Don't (ABIM Foundation)

Related Issues

• Comparing Osteoporosis Drugs: The Bisphosphonates (Consumer Reports) - PDF
• Exercise for Your Bone Health (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Osteoporosis (Endocrine Society)

Specifics

• HIV and Osteoporosis (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Camurati-Engelmann disease: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Statistics and Research

• Baseline Bone Mineral Density Measurements Key to Future Testing Intervals (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
• Genetics of Bone Density (National Institutes of Health)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Bone Density (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Forearm bone mineral density in adult men after spinal cord injuries:...
• Article: Factors affecting spine-femur discordance in the percentage of young adult mean...
• Article: Relationship between Regular Green Tea Intake and Osteoporosis in Korean Postmenopausal...
• Bone Density -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Also in Spanish
• National Institutes of Health Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Children

• Kids and Their Bones: A Guide for Parents (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) Also in Spanish

Women

• Breast Cancer and Bone Loss (Endocrine Society)
• Menopause and Bone Loss (Endocrine Society)
• Osteoporosis: Peak Bone Mass in Women (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Patient Handouts

• Bone mineral density test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Osteopenia - premature infants (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• What causes bone loss? (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish