There is growing concern about osteoporosis, a bone disease affecting the elderly and especially postmenopausal women. Osteoporosis is a bone disease where there is a gradual decrease in the bone density, which causes further risks of symptoms like falls and frequent bone fractures. Though there is a progressive decrease in bone density in the patient of osteoporosis, yet the symptoms may not be visible for years. Such patients are at a high risk of having frequent fractures in their bones. This bone disease may be either genetic or non-genetic. So can one say osteoporosis is hereditary?
 

Many persons suffer from this gradual loss of bone density, but when we look for people who are most at risk of showing symptoms of osteoporosis, the groups identified are usually postmenopausal women, the elderly, people who consume low calcium in their diet, people with diseases of lungs or kidneys, and people frequently using medicines like antacids or steroids. Therefore, categorizing these as the causes of osteoporosis or loss of bone density, we can identify the following four categories of people with a higher risk of suffering from the symptoms of this bone disease.

1.       Age

2.       Hereditary

3.       Unhealthy lifestyle and diet

4.       Medications and diseases
 

To further study whether osteoporosis is hereditary, let us examine the second category further, i.e., heredity as the risk factor for developing the bone disease or the symptoms of decrease in bone density or bone fractures.

 

Many studies find that osteoporosis and symptoms that include bone fractures or constant falls is linked to the genes. As the disease is genetic, the possibility that osteoporosis can be hereditary is clear, and a person with a family history of bone fracture or loss of bone density issue has a greater risk of developing the condition. People with a family history of osteoporosis, especially those with a small and frail body structure, are at the greatest risk of suffering from decreased bone density even at an early age.
 

There is constant research of heredity-related osteoporosis or the hereditary symptoms of reduced bone density. A recent study concluded that around 56 genetic variants are found to be linked to osteoporosis, which means causes of bone weakening, loss in bone density, symptoms of falls and bone fractures may clearly be linked to heredity.

 

In case symptoms of osteoporosis appear or one sees an increased risk for any loss of bone density or mineral density in the bone, one must evaluate the patients family history. The symptoms, like bone weakness, falls often or for no cause, gets frequent bone fractures, might be hereditary if others in the patient’s family have exhibited them in the past. Though the treatment for symptoms of reduced bone density, bone fractures, or falls may be linked to genetics, or be hereditary symptoms, they are understandably similar to those caused by non-genetic reasons like medications, disease conditions, or lack of physical activities. Some precaution can be followed to prevent the risk of symptoms of osteoporosis or the disease itself. If you believe that your family has a history of bone fracture or any other symptoms of this bone disease of reduced bone density, consult your doctor for preventive measures to counter the increased risk of this chronic bone disease, which might be a hereditary condition.
 

Studies are ongoing to find out possible genetic therapies or treatment for this disease and gene-based treatments.