Although decreased calcium absorption, decreased bone formation, alcohol
drinking, and smoking have been considered as causes of osteopenia in men, the
cause is unknown in half of the cases. Many reports highlighted the association
between
Helicobacter pylori
infection and
osteoporosis, mainly in East Asia and Japan. To identify relevant factors of
osteoporosis in men, we examined estrogen and calcium intakes and other
lifestyle factors together with gastric mucosal atrophy caused by
Helicobacter pylori
infection. This study is a
cross-sectional study design of 268 healthy men who underwent general medical
examinations. Multivariate analysis was performed, with age, body mass index,
smoking habit, drinking habit, exercise habit, estradiol level, calcium intake,
and
Helicobacter pylori
infection and its
associated gastric mucosal atrophy as the independent variables and the presence
of osteopenia as the dependent variable. The adjusted odds ratio was 0.74 (95%
Confidence Interval [0.29, 1.90],
p
= .531) and
1.31 (95% Confidence Interval [0.54, 3.21],
p
=
.552), when
Helicobacter pylori
infection was
positive without and with gastric mucosal atrophy, respectively.
Helicobacter pylori
infection and gastric mucosal
atrophy were not significant factors. Low body mass index, smoking habit, and
low calcium intake were significantly associated with decreased bone density. In
conclusion,
Helicobacter pylori
infection was not
a significant risk, whereas low body mass index, current smoking, and lower
calcium intake had a significant influence on the development of osteopenia in
men.