evidence: Bones are made of living tissue. To keep them strong, a healthy human body breaks down old bone and replaces it with new bone. Osteoporosis develops when more bone is broken down than replaced. [...] Treating osteoporosis means slowing or stopping the bone loss to prevent breaks. If your test results show that you have osteoporosis or bone density below a certain level and you have other risk factors for fractures, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medications to lower your chances of breaking a bone.