Bone Health and Menopause

If you’re a woman in your 40s, chances are you’re hearing more about bone health and menopause. And there’s a reason: A woman can lose up to 20 percent of her bone mass during these years, which can greatly increase the risk of osteoporosis, a condition that thins bones and makes them more likely to break.

Here’s what women (and the people who love them) should know about bone health and menopause from the orthopedic subspecialists at Orlin & Cohen.

What is menopause?

Menopause is the natural biological process that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle and reproductive years. Diagnosed 12 months after her last menstrual period, menopause usually happens when a woman is in her 40s or 50s, although the average age for an American woman is 51.

What effect does menopause have on bone health? 

During menopause, estrogen levels start to fluctuate and then drop. Since estrogen helps prevent bones from getting weaker and slows down the natural breakdown of bone, the increasing lack of estrogen during menopause significantly speeds up bone loss, decreases bone density, and increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Bone density 

Bone density, also known as bone mass or bone mineral density (BMD), measures the amount of minerals, like calcium and phosphorous, you have in your bones. Bones with more minerals are denser and more robust and, therefore, less likely to break.

Because bones tend to break down more quickly than they are formed during menopause, older women may have lower-than-normal bone density, which can lead to osteoporosis. A bone density test, also called a bone mineral density test (BMD test), can help determine if a woman is at risk.

Risk of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is diagnosed when a person’s bone mineral density falls below a certain threshold, making them more susceptible to breaking a bone. A direct relationship has been found between decreasing levels of estrogen during menopause and an increased risk of developing osteoporosis. In fact, one in two postmenopausal women will have osteoporosis, and most will suffer a fracture during their lifetime. (However, many won’t even know they have the condition until that first bone breaks.)

Preventative Measures

 Fortunately, there are steps a woman can take to improve her bone health during menopause and beyond. While all women over 65 should receive a bone density screening, there are steps women over age 50 and men over 70 should take to improve bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Exercise

Regular physical activity and exercise can not only help you build strong bones but also slow bone loss. Consider resistance, balance, and weight-bearing exercises, or those like swimming or hiking, that minimize your risk of falling. Exercise can also help you maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity—another way to help keep bones strong.

Diet and nutrition

A balanced diet that’s full of calcium-rich foods is good for strong bones (and is also key to maintaining a healthy weight). Calcium is a major component of bones, so it’s no surprise that this nutrient is essential to bone health. Ensure to include vitamin D and potassium, which can help your body better absorb calcium and improve bone health. Not getting enough of these in your diet? Consider adding a supplement or multivitamin to up your daily intake.

Lifestyle choices

But let’s not forget two lifestyle choices that are equally as important to bone health during menopause as well as anyone’s overall health: avoid smoking and limit your consumption of alcohol and caffeine.

Read more about these and other ways to improve bone health.

Treatment

For some women, however, preventative measures may not be enough to stop bone loss and promote bone health during menopause. Some doctors recommend estrogen replacement therapy to reduce the breakdown of bone and help prevent osteoporosis.

If you are at high risk for developing osteoporosis, your doctor also may recommend drug therapies such as bisphosphonates or denosumab to slow bone loss and increase bone mass. If you have severe osteoporosis, your doctor may prescribe medication to promote bone growth. These bone-building medications include romosozumab, abaloparatide, and teriparatide. Find out more information about these medications here.

While such treatment options can prove helpful, prevention can be the best way to manage bone health during menopause. To find out more about better bone health and menopause, and if you’re at risk for osteoporosis, request an appointment with an Orlin & Cohen joint specialist.