Blood test for Osteoporosis

Some blood test may assist your clinician diagnose or prognoses if a person has osteoporosis, has low bone mass or an increased risk of developing this condition.This condition may arise due to menopausal and/or hormone-deficiency.

Several organizations have published guidelines on screening for osteoporosis, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which recommend screening for all women beginning at age 65 and, in some cases, younger women based on risk factors. The NOF also recommends screening men age 70 and older as well as those age 50 to 69 with risk factors.

Laboratory blood tests that may be ordered include:

• Blood Calcium levels - this test is usually normal in osteoporosis but may be elevated with other bone diseases.
• Vitamine D - deficiencies can lead to decreased calcium absorption
• Thyroid tests - such as T4 and TSH
• Parathyroid hormone (PTH) hyperparathyroidism
• Follicle-stimilating hormone (FSH) - to check for menopause
• Testosterone - to check for deficiency in men
• Protein Electrophoresis - to identify abnormal proteins produced by a certain type of cancer that can break down bone
• Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) - to test for increased levels that may point to a problem with the bones
• Urinary N-telopeptide of type I collagen, or uNTX. This is a marker of bone resorption, or loss of bone.