Bone Density

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

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Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

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• 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 (National Osteoporosis Foundation)
• Low Bone Density (National 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)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation to Prevent Fractures (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) - PDF

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
• Medicine Induced Bone Loss (Hormone Health Network)

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: Application of bone turnover markers and DXA and QCT in an...
• Article: Effects of Adolescents' Lifestyle Habits and Body Composition on Bone Mineral...
• Article: Increased risk factors associated with lower BMD in antiretroviral-therapy-naïve HIV-infected adult...
• 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 (Hormone Health Network)
• Osteoporosis: Peak Bone Mass in Women (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
• Post Menopause and Osteoporosis (Hormone Health Network)

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