Osteoporosis: Causes, Mechanisms, Treatment and Prevention. Role of Dietary Compounds

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease that is characterized by a loss of bone density, mainly affecting the microstructure of the bones, due to a decrease in bone mass, thereby making them more fragile and susceptible to fractures. Osteoporosis is currently considered one of the pandemics of the 21st century, affecting around 200 million people. Its most serious consequence is an increased risk of bone fractures, thus making osteoporosis a major cause of disability and even premature death in the elderly. In this review we discuss causes, biochemical mechanisms of bone regeneration, risk factors, pharmacological treatments, prevention and effects of diet, focusing in this case on compounds present in the diet that could have palliative and preventive effects and could be used as concomitant treatments to drugs, which are and should always be the first option. It should be noted as concluding remarks that non-pharmacological treatments such as diet and exercise have, or should have, a relevant role in supporting pharmacology, which is the recommended prescription today, but we cannot ignore that they can have a great relevance in the treatment of this disease.