Osteoporosis — commonly described as the “silent bone disease” — is often perceived as a women’s health issue, largely because post-menopausal women experience faster bone loss due to a drop in estrogen levels. However, medical research increasingly shows that while osteoporosis is less common in men, it is often more dangerous and underdiagnosed when it does occur.
Globally, health guidelines typically advise women aged 65 and above to undergo routine bone-density screenings. In contrast, men are rarely encouraged to do so unless they have visible risk factors. This lack of awareness and screening leads to late detection, which makes osteoporosis-related fractures in men both more severe and harder to recover from.
Epidemiological data reveal that one in five men over 50 will experience an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime. Even more striking is that about one-fourth of all hip fracture cases occur in men, and these tend to result in higher disability and mortality rates than those seen in women. Men often sustain such fractures at a later age, when they already face other chronic health challenges like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or reduced muscle mass — all of which complicate recovery.
