Throughout life, bones undergo a physiological remodeling process in which old and damaged skeletal tissue is removed by osteoclasts, while new bone tissue is formed by osteoblasts. To maintain strong bones, the body requires an adequate supply of calcium and other minerals and must produce hormones such as parathyroid hormone, growth hormone, calcitonin, estrogen, and testosterone in the right quantities. Vitamin D is also essential for proper bone mineralization.

With advancing age, the activity of osteoclasts tends to be greater than that of osteoblasts, and physiological aging is accompanied by a loss of bone mass. Bone mineral density (or BMD) is the value that determines bone health and indicates the amount of minerals present in a cubic centimeter of bone; a slight reduction in BMD results in a condition of osteopenia, while a significant reduction is the basis of osteoporosis, which develops when this loss becomes excessive and pathological due to persistent and dominant bone resorption compared to bone formation activity. This leads to deterioration of the microarchitecture of bone tissue, making it porous, similar to a sponge, with an increased risk of fracture (especially in the vertebrae, femur, wrist, humerus, and ankle) even from minor trauma.