The question of what osteoporosis actually is can be explained by its name. The word "osteo" comes from the Greek and means bone, while "poros" means hole. So osteoporosis means nothing other than "porous bone". And that gets to the heart of the problem: this metabolic disease causes bone mass to break down. This makes the skeleton unstable and easier to break, especially in the vertebrae.

The disease comes on quietly and insidiously

Women suffer from bone loss twice as often as men. This is because after the menopause there is a lack of the sex hormone oestrogen - the hormone that protects the bones. Osteoporosis develops gradually and those affected don't even notice their illness at first. The first symptoms: vague back pain and bone fractures.

The risk increases from the age of 40

The bones are constantly being remodeled, depending on the stress they are subjected to. Up to the age of 40, more bone mass is generally built up than broken down, after which bone loss gradually predominates.

Exercise and the right diet prevent this

However, this is also related to the type of diet and exercise: Bones need calcium and phosphate, as well as vitamin D to be able to store the calcium. Calcium intake should be 1,000 mg per day. This can be found in dairy products and mineral water. Exercise is also important to prevent osteoporosis, as sport strengthens the bones.