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Velvet Digest

Why would you see an endocrinologist for osteoporosis?

Author

Eleanor Gray

Updated on May 16, 2026

Medical specialists who treat osteoporosis Endocrinologists treat the endocrine system, which comprises the glands and hormones that help control the body's metabolic activity. In addition to osteoporosis, endocrinologists treat diabetes and diseases of the thyroid and pituitary glands.

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Regarding this, why do I need to see an endocrinologist for osteoporosis?

Among bone diseases that endocrinologists help to treat, osteoporosis is by far the most common. Often, endocrinologists also care for patients with osteoporosis that is secondary to hyperparathyroidism or kidney failure-among other metabolic and hormonal conditions that can also lead to this condition.

which endocrine causes osteoporosis? Parathyroid and Thyroid problems: Hyperparathyroidism, which is caused by too much parathyroid hormone, can cause osteoporosis because the excess hormone extracts calcium from your bones.

Thereof, is osteoporosis an endocrine disorder?

Common endocrine disorders include diabetes and high thyroid levels (hyperthyroidism). These disorders cause osteoporosis because hormones that are needed to ensure healthy bone growth and development are compromised. Once these disorders have been identified and treated, bone density often increases.

What does endocrinologist do?

An endocrinologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of hormone imbalances and other health issues directly and indirectly related to the endocrine system.

Related Question Answers

How quickly does osteoporosis progress?

For women, bone loss is fastest in the first few years after menopause, but it continues gradually into the postmenopausal years. As bone density loss occurs, osteoporosis can develop. This process is slower by 10 years in men.

What is the best and safest drug for osteoporosis?

Some bisphosphonates, such as Fosamax (alendronate) and Actonel (risedronate), are taken as a daily or weekly tablet, while Boniva (ibandronate) is taken monthly to prevent and treat osteoporosis. Reclast (zoledronic acid) is taken intravenously once a year to treat osteoporosis and every two years to help prevent it.

What is considered severe osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis. Bone density is 2.5 SD or more below the young adult mean (−2.5 SD or lower). Severe (established) osteoporosis. Bone density is more than 2.5 SD below the young adult mean, and there have been one or more osteoporotic fractures.

What does an endocrinologist do on the first visit?

At this first visit, your endocrinologist will also perform a physical exam to check your thyroid gland and look for symptoms of a thyroid problem, such as dry skin or a slow heart rate. You will probably have blood tests, too, to determine whether your body is low on thyroid hormone.

What is the prognosis for osteoporosis?

The outlook for people with osteoporosis is good, especially if the problem is detected and treated early. Bone density, even in severe osteoporosis, generally can be stabilized or improved. The risk of fractures can be substantially reduced with treatment. People with mild osteoporosis have an excellent outlook.

Can osteoporosis be reversed?

So What Can I Do About Osteoporosis? You can make fractures less likely by maintaining or improving your bone density, Cosman says. That is, "you can reverse theconsequences of osteoporosis," says Robert Heaney, MD, vice president for research and professor of medicine at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb.

What is the best treatment for severe osteoporosis?

Some bisphosphonates, such as Fosamax (alendronate) and Actonel (risedronate), are taken as a daily or weekly tablet, while Boniva (ibandronate) is taken monthly to prevent and treat osteoporosis. Reclast (zoledronic acid) is taken intravenously once a year to treat osteoporosis and every two years to help prevent it.

Is osteoporosis an autoimmune disease?

AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease of the joints, has been strongly linked to osteoporosis. Other autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and multiple sclerosis, also increase the risk for osteoporosis, and patients should discuss their risk with their physician.

What deficiency causes osteoporosis?

Causes of Osteoporosis: Lack of Vitamin D Too little vitamin D can lead to weak bones and increased bone loss. Active vitamin D, also called calcitriol, is more like a hormone than a vitamin, says Mystkowski. Among its many benefits, vitamin D helps your body to absorb and use calcium.

Can osteoporosis lead to cancer?

Osteoporosis can be caused by certain types of cancer such as multiple myeloma. It can also be caused by certain types of cancer treatments or their side effects. Hormonal therapies may be used to treat breast, uterine, ovarian and prostate cancers.

Is osteoporosis caused by lack of calcium?

Osteoporosis is more likely to occur in people who have: Low calcium intake. A lifelong lack of calcium plays a role in the development of osteoporosis. Low calcium intake contributes to diminished bone density, early bone loss and an increased risk of fractures.

Does osteoporosis show up in blood tests?

If you are being investigated for osteoporosis, a blood sample may be taken to measure certain mineral and hormone levels. Blood calcium levels are usually normal in osteoporosis. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), an enzyme from liver and bone, usually shows normal activity in osteoporosis.

What is the main cause of osteoporosis?

The leading cause of osteoporosis is a lack of certain hormones, particularly estrogen in women and androgen in men. Women, especially those older than 60 years of age, are frequently diagnosed with the disease. Menopause is accompanied by lower estrogen levels and increases a woman's risk for osteoporosis.

How osteoporosis affects the endocrine system?

Your endocrine system is a collection of glands that all produce hormones. These disorders cause osteoporosis because hormones that are needed to ensure healthy bone growth and development are compromised. A lack of certain hormones accelerates bone loss and increases fracture risk.

Is osteoporosis genetic?

Osteoporosis is a common disease with a strong genetic component characterised by low bone mass, microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue and an increased risk of fracture. It is only on rare occasions that osteoporosis occurs as the result of mutations in a single gene.

What are diseases of the endocrine system?

Common Endocrine Disorders
  • Type 1 Diabetes.
  • Type 2 Diabetes.
  • Osteoporosis.
  • Thyroid Cancer.
  • Addison's Disease.
  • Cushing's Syndrome.
  • Graves' Disease.
  • Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.

Is osteoporosis caused by vitamin D deficiency?

Deficiencies in vitamin D and calcium can cause soft, thin, brittle bones—a condition known as rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults. More than 40 million people have either osteoporosis or low bone mass, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What is the best doctor to see for osteoporosis?

A variety of medical specialists treat people with osteoporosis, including internists, gynecologists, family doctors, endocrinologists, rheumatologists, physiatrists, orthopaedists, and geriatricians.

What hormone increases bone density?

Taking estrogen can increase bone density and lower the risk of breaking bones. Estrogen alone is also called ET (estrogen therapy) and estrogen given with progesterone is also called HT (hormone therapy). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ET and HT to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.