RESUMEN
Osteoporosis is a progressive metabolic disease. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), deficiency of the liver, spleen and kidney and blood stasis can induce osteoporosis. The main etiology was kidney deficiency which harmed the liver and spleen and causeqi-blood deficiency and blood stasis. The insufficiency of natural endowment and postnatal malnutrition caused poor nutrition of tendons and vessels, which induced debility of bone. This article discussed the etiology and pathogenesis of TCM understanding on osteoporosis in details. Opportunities and challenges of TCM in osteoporosis treatment were explored. The homology of Chinese medicine and food as well as the long-term of osteoporosis showed that TCM had incomparable superiority in osteoporosis treatment. While, the scientific research methods and reasonable evaluation of TCM safety were important to display its advantages in osteoporosis treatment.