health. Why are men less affected by osteoporosis than women?

Osteoporosis is manifested by the deterioration of the microstructure of bone tissue and leads to a decrease in bone mass. To the point of generating a high risk of fractures, which increases with age.

The disease appears to be particularly subtle because generally no symptoms appear before the first fracture! Which most often affects the vertebrae, wrist and hip.

It's not just a gynecological disease

In a country like France, 5.5% of the general population suffers from osteoporotic fractures. The majority of them are women, which may suggest that it is a “female” disease. forged !

In the 2013 report,International Osteoporosis Foundation The IOF estimated the number of men suffering from osteoporosis in the European Union at 5.5 million. To determine that if a third of hip fractures do occur in men, they are associated with a higher mortality than in women.

Bone structure and estrogen are involved

The fact remains that this difference in infection rates between the sexes is related to two main factors:

• Bone difference: If men's bone density is equivalent to women's, “men's bones are broader and have a different microstructure,” Inserm points out;
• Estrogen involved: Of course, bone remodeling depends on genetic factors. But it is also controlled by hormones such as estrogen. These tend to slow bone deterioration. However, at the time of menopause, women's estrogen levels decline, leading to accelerated bone loss over the following 5 to 10 years. Men do not suffer from this sudden fall. “Therefore their bone mass decreases more slowly over time, and later than in women,” Enserm continues.

Difficult prevention

Over the age of 50, any fracture after falling from a high place should indicate osteoporosis. Likewise, if you notice a loss of more than 4 cm in height, talk to your doctor. It may be a spinal collapse that no one noticed…

Sources: Israeli Occupation Forces, booklet entitled Osteoporosis in Men – Inserm, 10/10/2023