Preventing Osteoporosis in Menopause: Lifestyle Strategies and Treatment Options

There are many beautiful gifts that can come with our menopause years, such as increased self-awareness and connection, a greater emphasis on personal wellbeing, and more wisdom from the years behind us – but there are certainly aspects of menopause that aren’t quite so welcomed. One of these is the increasing risk of osteoporosis, with declining oestrogen levels leading to a higher chance of this disease making itself known. 

With careful and strategic lifestyle and health management choices, however, osteoporosis can be managed (or prevented entirely) during menopause. This is one area where education and awareness can play a crucial role in defining healthcare outcomes. We’re investigating which lifestyle strategies and treatment options are our best companions when it comes to preventing osteoporosis in menopause.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when there’s changes to either (or both) bone mineral density and bone mass. This disease is often described as a silent disease, with diagnosis commonly only taking place if a bone breaks. For women who are postmenopause, this is the major culprit behind fractures, with weakened bones increasing the risk of osteoporosis impacts through decreases in hormone production.

Since osteoporosis doesn’t often show symptoms, it can be challenging to understand your risk profile as menopause continues to impact the strength and health of your bones. When a bone affected by osteoporosis becomes so weak that a fracture spontaneously occurs, however, it can become immediately clear that osteoporosis is a health concern.

Why does the risk of osteoporosis increase during menopause?

As with many other long-term diseases, the risk of osteoporosis can increase during menopause as a result of changes in oestrogen levels. Since oestrogen is a crucial ingredient in maintaining healthy bone density, the reduction of oestrogen can lead to weakened bones that are at risk of fractures or breaks. 

Alongside this drop in oestrogen, other factors that are common during menopause can also contribute to a larger risk of osteoporosis. The older we get, the more vulnerable we are to this disease, with bone density naturally decreasing over time. Family genetics can also play an uncontrollable role in individual risk levels, and our independent lifestyle factors are also contributors – positively or negatively – to the potential for osteoporosis to develop.

 

Find the highest quality of menopausal healthcare at the Australian Menopause Centre, no matter how complex your needs.

 

Lifestyle strategies for preventing or managing osteoporosis

Thankfully, our fate is not entirely out of our hands when it comes to our individual risk factors for osteoporosis. Throughout menopause and beyond, there are a number of key lifestyle strategies we can lean on to give us the best chance of healthy bones that we can sustain for years to come. These include:

• Focusing on our nutrition. Calcium and vitamin D are both excellent sources of support for healthy bones, and with a few tweaks to our daily diet, we can make sure we’re getting ample amounts of these nutritions on a regular basis. 
• Maintaining a regular exercise schedule. It’s important to work with a professional who can assess your health levels, particularly if you’ve already had an osteoporosis-related fracture or breakage. Making the most of strength training and resistance exercises is one powerful, simple way that you can build and maintain your bone density. There are a wide range of activities you can choose from to achieve this outcome, so find the form that best suits you and have fun with it!
• Cutting down on your alcohol intake. If you need another reason to consider your relationship with alcohol, it can be taking better care of your bones. As excessive alcohol levels can disrupt calcium absorption and bone formation processes, cutting back on your alcohol intake is one way to support your bones throughout this changing season. 
• Quitting smoking. Smoking has a demonstrated impact on accelerated bone loss – and with many other health risks attached to regular smoking, this is one powerful way to support your health throughout menopause on every level. 
• Proactively avoiding falls. While it may sound impossible to avoid an accident, there are small changes we can make in our homes so that we’re less likely to fall and risk a fracture. Whether that’s removing tripping hazards, making use of grab bars, or placing non-slip mats in risky areas, these small steps can go a long way in reducing the risk of a fall taking place in your everyday home environment. 

Treatment pathways for osteoporosis

While there are many choices we can make to reduce our risk of osteoporosis, medical treatments are an important part of the equation if it becomes an issue. Finding the right treatment pathway requires close collaboration with a trusted healthcare professional who can assess your holistic health needs, taking into account the ongoing impact of menopause when making strategic treatment choices.

One of these treatment pathways is the option of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).

As HRT can reduce the impact of decreased hormone production, this form of treatment can also help to reduce the risk of fractures through supplementary oestrogen support. 

As with all aspects of menopausal healthcare, the right treatment approach will depend on individual health and menopause factors. Working closely with your healthcare team is the best way to reduce the impact of osteoporosis both in the present and long into the future, finding the best protective measures against its development, or treatment support if osteoporosis has already developed. 

Conclusion

Even with the increased risk of osteoporosis during menopause, awareness and strategic, preventative action can make a world of difference in your bone health during this changing season. By taking a proactive approach to how you’re supporting your bones, you’re giving them the best chances of healthy longevity throughout menopause and the years to come.

Find more support for every aspect of your menopausal health care at the Australian Menopause Centre. Whether you’re navigating osteoporosis alongside menopause symptoms or simply looking for preventative measures to support your health and wellbeing long into the future, we’re here for you at every turn.