Most commonly these disorders are caused by deficiencies of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium or vitamin D leading to dramatic clinical disorders that are commonly reversible once the underlying defect has been treated.
For example, genetic or hereditary hypophosphatemia may cause the metabolic bone disorder osteomalacia.
Although there is currently no treatment for the genetic condition, replacement of phosphate often corrects or improves the metabolic bone disorder.
[1] Osteoporosis is due to causal factors like atrophy of disuse and gonadal deficiency.
Hypercorticism may also be a causal factor, as osteoporosis may be seen as a feature of Cushing's syndrome.