This essay will address several types of bone loss diseases and the pros and cons of treatment or prevention techniques. I will first explore what the characteristics of healthy bone are and what the loss of bone mass and density can mean to a person's health and well being. My sources will be from the internet, magazines, medical journals, several books, and the1998 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. I have a personal interest in this subject because my paternal Grandmother and Grandfather suffered before they died with some of the debilitating symptoms of bone loss and weakening. This included spinal fractures and posture slumping. Some of the prevention methods I will mention are exercise, diet, and drugs. I will talk about the use of estrogen replacement therapy and vitamins in the prevention of osteoporosis and their possible benefits and side effects. I will discuss the difference between osteoporosis and osteoarthritis as well as touch on some conditions in which the pain can be mistaken for them. My experience with a friend who has been crippled with arthritis since she was a child will open some topics for discussion. She has suffered several severe broken bone situations as a direct or indirect result of her disease and or treatments. An interview with her will be an informative and interesting addition to my sources on this subject.
             What is bone and why is healthy bone essential to your health? Bone is a type of skeletal tissue and contains living cells embedded in a hard matrix. This matrix consists mostly of calcium phosphate and other calcium minerals held together by collagen and other organic substances. Bone tissue renews itself throughout life, constantly tearing down and rebuilding its mineralized framework. The balance between bone resorption and formation is regulated by the immune system and by hormones. The single most important function of bones is to support softer body tissues. The action of voluntary muscle...