Understanding the importance of peak bone mass

Bone mass attained early in life is one of the most important determinants of lifelong skeletal health. Bone mineral content increases exponentially during childhood. In fact 40-60% of the total adult bone mass is accrued during puberty. By the end of the first two decades of life, peak bone mass has been reached. Between ages 20-50, bone mass has plateaued, but it continues to remodel. This is regulated by parathyroid hormone (PTH), vitamin D3, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). After the age of 50 bone mass begins to decrease. The purpose of this paper is to review the importance of maximizing peak bone mass and factors that can modify and maintain peak bone mass.