What's the difference between osteoporosis and osteopenia?
Ask the doctor
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Q. My friend was just diagnosed with osteopenia. How is this condition distinct from osteoporosis?
A. It's a question of degree. While both osteopenia and osteoporosis involve worsening (and worrying) declines in bone density, osteopenia isn't as severe. Both conditions can be diagnosed with a DEXA (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) scan, which measures bone mineral density — essentially, how much calcium and other minerals are present in bones. Someone with osteopenia has experienced some bone density loss, but not as much as with osteoporosis. Importantly, osteopenia places you at higher odds of later developing osteoporosis, which affects one in three women over 50 and significantly increases the risk of fractures.
Like others with osteopenia, your friend was likely told to prioritize weight-bearing exercise, which can stave off further bone loss, as well as to consume more calcium-rich foods and beverages and get sufficient vitamin D. If osteopenia or osteoporosis progresses, medication can also help slow bone loss or rebuild some bone. Women 65 and older, as well as those under 65 who are considered at higher risk of osteoporosis, are advised to undergo DEXA scanning to screen for bone loss.
Image: © whitebalance.oatt/Getty Images
About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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