Bone mass and bone mineral density both decrease as people age. Osteopenia is a condition where people’s bone density is lower than is usual for their age. Osteoporosis is a more severe case of bone loss that weakens the bones and makes them more likely to fracture. Bone mass and bone mineral density measure the amount of...
When bone density drops but isn’t yet at the level of osteoporosis, it’s called osteopenia. Osteopenia affects more than 33 million Americans over age 50, men and women, while 10 million have osteoporosis. Yet the DEXA scan, the painless X-ray-based test that measures bone density, isn’t recommended for women until age 65, when they may...
