Osteoporosis or "thinning of the bones" affects in 1 in 4 Canadian women and 1 in 8 Canadian men. Moreover, while the rates of osteoporosis among Canadians are stabilizing, worldwide the number of people afflicted with osteoporosis continues to rise. The most serious complication of osteoporosis is a broken bone or fracture. Fractures due to osteoporosis can result in long hospital stays, dependence on others, and premature death. While there are several medications that prevent osteoporosis they all have side effects. For example, postmenopausal women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are at increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease. In addition, drugs to prevent osteoporosis are expensive and not available worldwide. Therefore, it is essential that researchers continue to identify and test new medications for the prevention of osteoporosis.