You may not realize it, but your bones are living tissue. And that tissue is always breaking down and re-growing. When the growth of new bone tissue does not keep up with the loss of old bone tissue you may develop a medical condition called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis literally means porous bones. Normal bones have many tiny holes. With osteoporosis, the bones become so thin in places that even a simple stretch or a cough can result in a bone fracture. Some fractures, like hip fractures, can lead to death. The National Center for Biotechnology Information in the United States says some reports show that up to 50 percent of patients with hip fracture die within six months. About 200 million people worldwide have osteoporosis. Health experts say that number will increase greatly as the world’s population gets older. After all, everyone's bones weaken with age.
