Osteoporosis: past, present and future.

Osteoporosis is an old and continuing problem which has been a challenge to medical research and care throughout the history of mankind. After the break-through with estrogen, many new agents as well as nutritional and physical interventions were found to be effective in preventing and controlling osteoporosis. Calcium represents one of the keys to all these methods, especially with the appearance of new highly biologically available forms influencing cell calcium metabolism. It appears to be important to focus our attention not only on the physical properties and strength of bone but also on its calcium storage function. By controlling osteoporosis and restoring the proper calcium storage function of the bone, many diseases of old age which are due to or exacerbated by calcium deficiency and disturbed calcium distribution in the body, such as hypertension, arteriosclerosis and senile dementia, may also be successfully controlled.