Cause

One cause of osteoporosis is a lack of calcium in the diet. Adults need 1200 to 1,500 mg per day ,but the average diet contains about 750 mg. For this reason, many doctors advise taking a 600 to 800 mg supplement of calcium every day, along with adequate Vitamin D intake with food or with supplements. Studies have shown this type of supplementation reduces the occurrence of hip fractures by up to 30 percent. Without enough calcium in the diet, the body will leach it from the bones, causing them to weaken over time. Without enough Vitamin D, the bones can not absorb the calcium.