Physiologic loss of bone mass. The peak of mineral density is reached between 30 and 40 years of age; women lose about 35% of cortical bone and 50% of trabecular bone, whereas men lose about two-thirds of these amounts.
The decline in living bone tissue due to a combination of influences and aging. With age, fat mass increases, while muscle mass and skeletal mass decline. Certain medications can also contribute to bone loss over time by decreasing the body’s ability to absorb ingested calcium or vitamin D from the intestines.