: Osteoporosis literally means perforated bone. This reduces the amount of calcium in the bones , destroys the normal structure of the bones and gradually makes the bones brittle. As a result, the risk of fractures increases manifold. This bone loss usually occurs silently and increasingly. Usually no symptoms are observed in the early stages. In osteoporosis, the bones of the waist , spine and wrists are the most fragile. The risk of post-menopausal osteoporosis, especially in women, increases with age. One in three women over the age of 50 and one in five men suffer from osteoporosis.