Male Drinkers under 50 Can Get Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is not just disease of older women. Given the right circumstances, men can get osteoporosis too. One of the circumstances is alcoholism. This is the finding of an Austrian study that’s reported in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

The bone mineral density (BMD) of 37 alcoholic men and 20 alcoholic women aged 27 to 50 were measured in the study, using dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The subjects were all inpatients in a rehab facility and weren’t drinking at the time of testing. Before entering rehab, the men consumed an average of 22 drinks a day, and the women 18 drinks a day.

Amongst the men, about 25% had a BMD that was below the expected level for their age; in women, only 5% (1 person) had reduced levels. Most of the subjects had low vitamin D levels, but there wasn’t a direct relationship between the vitamin D and DXA readings. The overweight subjects (as measured by body mass index, or BMI) were more likely to have a low BMD. But smoking and duration of alcoholism were without effect.

People with osteoporosis, no matter what the cause, are at an increased risk of fractures. This is something to remember when trying to help a man with alcoholism. (It seems possible that estrogen has a protective effect in women under 50.) Poor nutrition and lack of sunlight – often seen in alcoholics - may be contributory factors in affected males. Hopefully, knowledge can lead to prevention.