Gluten intolerance is often associated with osteoporosis. The main cause is chronic GI malabsorption due to the ongoing inflammation of the GI lining due to undigested gluten fragments. Chronic malabsoprtion of calcium leads to loss of bone mass. Once bone mass loss reaches a certain threshold, an individual receives a diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Lifestyle changes including a gluten- and casein-free diet represent the best long-term solutions. Calcium and vitamin D supplmentation, themselves "supplemented" by regular exercise, will help one's body to begin to build new bone mass. Of course, for persons who have not exercised in months or years, a physician's supervision and guidance is very important.