Environmental Impact on Bone Health

Abstract

The skeleton forms a dynamic organ system, functioning in a highly metabolic environment continuously affecting the balance between bone resorption and bone formation. Highly differentiated cells and multiple hormonal and molecular pathways are involved in this remodeling process that is unavoidably affected by normal aging. Apart from aging, several factors such as geographic variation, climate conditions, nutritional status, socioeconomic status, culture, pollution, and endocrine disruptors have been suggested to have a direct or indirect impact on bone metabolism and influence bone health. Τhe positive or negative effect of each one of these factors on bone health depends on many variables such as age of exposure, duration of exposure, and intensity of exposure but also on the combined effects of other cofactors. The pathogenetic mechanisms and the molecular pathways by which bone metabolism is affected have not always been clarified. Therefore, in this chapter, we aim to summarize the current literature on the influence of environmental factors on bone metabolism and disease and to review any recent updates in research about the impact of endocrine disruptors on bone health.