Bone health and menopause: what’s the link?

 

The transition into menopause, marking the end of the reproductive cycle, is anything but subtle. For many women, menopause can bring about extreme changes to their physical, mental and emotional health, introducing symptoms that can cause disruption and challenges to their everyday routines. 

While some women are impacted by menopause’s symptoms more than others, its various changes on a physiological and psychological level mean each woman needs to pay attention to what’s taking place in her body. 

One of these changes is hormone levels – specifically, decreasing oestrogen levels. While the role oestrogen plays in the reproductive system may be common knowledge, many women don’t realise that a decrease in oestrogen can increase the potential of accelerated bone loss. When not managed correctly, this can result in ongoing health challenges and conditions, including osteoporosis.

Understanding the connection between menopause and bone health is crucial. If you’re in the midst of your own menopause journey, here’s what you need to know to make sure you’re giving your bones the best support possible throughout this time of transition, including easy-to-implement strategies for managing your everyday health.

The links between menopause and bone health

Oestrogen plays a key role in the nuanced relationship between menopause and bone health. This hormone is a vital element in maintaining bone density through the way it acts as a regulator, keeping the cells responsible for bone formation and breakdown – osteoblasts and osteoclasts – in check.

In younger years, women don’t need to pay as much attention to the process of bone breakdown and formation. That’s because oestrogen is quietly regulating these processes in the background as a part of natural internal cycles. 

During the transition into menopause, however, the body’s oestrogen levels start to decline significantly. As a result, bone breakdown and formation processes aren’t receiving the natural support they once had, leading to less density, more porous and brittle bones, and an increased risk of developing osteoporosis. Without careful management, this can lead to severe health outcomes as women experience more and more weakness and brittleness.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that takes place when the body either loses too much bone, stops producing enough bone, or a combination of both. This means bones are more at risk of fracturing or breaking from major and minor actions alike.

As bones lose their strength, they become more prone to fractures. For women in menopausal and postmenopausal stages, this means they face a higher risk of bone fractures, particularly in areas like their hips, spines, and wrists. 

Unfortunately, osteoporosis doesn’t show symptoms until a fracture occurs, which is why it’s got a reputation as a ‘silent disease’. For women entering into menopause, being aware of the risk of osteoporosis can help them to prioritise preventative health measures that promote strong bones, reducing the risk of developing osteoporosis as their natural oestrogen levels continue to decline.

How to maintain bone health throughout menopause

Even with natural drops in oestrogen production throughout menopause, there are a number of ways you can support your bone health during these transitional stages.

The first strategic step to take is implementing and maintaining a well-balanced diet. Vitamin D and calcium both play essential roles in supporting bone strength and density, with calcium serving as a key building block of bone tissue. At the same time, Vitamin D helps to ensure calcium is properly absorbed within the diet.

Alongside these two cornerstones of a bone-supporting diet, incorporating dairy products, leafy green vegetables and fortified foods can also help to maintain bone health. With protein playing a key role in protecting bone volume, ensuring you’re getting adequate protein in your daily intake is also a powerful and simple step you can take towards lowering your risk of developing osteoporosis. 

Regular exercise is also another crucial strategy in promoting positive bone health throghout menopause. By undertaking weight-bearing exercises like walking or jogging, as well as resistance exercises, you can help to slow down bone loss and stimulate ongoing bone formation. Yoga can also be of great use during menopause, with its emphasis on balance and flexibility helping to reduce the risk of falls and associated fractures.

Some women find that body-identical hormone replacement therapy can be a strategic and effective option in both managing overall menopausal symptoms and preventing excessive bone loss. Body-identical hormones are structurally identical to those produced naturally by the body, helping to supplement decreasing natural supplies of key hormones throughout each stage of menopause. By working closely with an expert healthcare provider, you may be able to increase your bone health, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and improve your overall menopause experience with the assistance of body-identical hormone replacement therapy.

While there’s no single way to ensure your bones are protected throughout menopause, you can follow these strategic approaches to reduce as much of the risk to your bones’ health as possible. 

Don’t forget about regular bone health check-ups

In the midst of menopausal changes, it’s important to schedule in regular check-ups in order to detect and manage any bone health issues.

Bone density tests can play a crucial role in the ongoing support of your bone health, especially for women who may already be at higher risk of developing osteoporosis. By building regular bone check-ups into your healthcare schedule, you can identify issues as they arise, seeking the necessary ongoing support to implement preventative measures.

Conclusion

While menopause certainly brings a host of changes along with it, not all of these changes need to result in dramatically reduced health outcomes. Prioritising your bone health throughout menopause and postmenopause can help protect vital internal functions and ensure overall well-being during this transformative phase of life.

Looking to learn more about the links between menopause and bone health? Get in touch with our friendly expert team at the Australian Menopause Centre today to discover an effective and care-filled approach to managing every part of your menopause experience. We can provide valuable information, guidance, and support to help you navigate this important stage of life.