As we age, our bodies naturally change in terms of our movement and flexibility. You might feel stiffer in the morning or struggle to touch your feet during a workout or Pilates session. While many of these symptoms are normal, some may be linked to the menopause transition.
When it comes to menopause symptoms, we spend a lot of time talking about hot flashes, night sweats, and brain fog. These things suck for sure, but it's essential to recognize that menopause can also impact your bones. Specifically, bone density can decrease during this time, and you might also experience sarcopenia (the progressive loss of muscle mass, strength, and function).
The Estrogen Connection
Up to 20 percent of this bone loss can occur within the first five years of menopause, which typically begins between the ages of 45 and 55. Some individuals may experience menopause earlier (at age 40 or younger) due to genetic factors, removal of the ovaries, or other medically induced scenarios.
You can read more about my friend Sarah and her experience with osteoporosis and early menopause here.
The body contains hundreds of estrogen receptors, and this includes your bones. Your bone density begins to decline as estrogen levels drop. Estrogen helps to build new bone and prevent the breakdown of old bone. So. Obviously, when estrogen levels fall, this process gets disrupted, resulting in bones that are lower in density, more fragile, and more susceptible to fractures.
This drop in estrogen can lead to osteoporosis—a condition that progressively weakens bones, raising the risk of fractures and breaks. Osteoporosis affects both men and women, but the loss of estrogen makes women more susceptible, with one in five women over the age of 50 developing it. Additionally, the condition can also be genetic, meaning you are more likely to get osteoporosis if you have a family history of the disease.
The Consequence
Over time, osteoporosis can lead to weaker, more fragile bones that are more prone to fractures. This condition often goes unnoticed until a sudden fracture occurs, usually in the back or hips, which is why it is sometimes referred to as a "silent disease."
While deaths from hip fractures are rare today, thanks to advances in medical technology, a paper published in 2019 found that the one-year mortality rate after a surgically treated hip fracture still hovers around 21 percent. That's not nothing!
Four Tips for Avoiding Osteoporosis
While there's no certainty that you can entirely avoid the effects of bone density loss during menopause, there are steps you can take—either during or (ideally) before menopause—to help keep your bones healthy and strong.
LIFT HEAVY SH*T
Weightlifting, or resistance training, increases bone density by stressing bones and stimulating bone-forming cells. This process can help prevent bone loss and even create new bone tissue. I would argue that this is the MOST critical thing you can do!
COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENTATION
Collagen is essential for maintaining bone mass and may help improve bone mineral density and slow osteoporosis. A 2018 study assessed the impact of collagen peptides on bone health in 131 postmenopausal individuals with reduced bone mineral density. Participants received 5 grams of collagen peptides daily for 12 months, and results were compared to a placebo group. The findings?
"Supplementation with 5 g of specific collagen peptides significantly increases bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and the femoral neck (thigh bone) as well as blood levels of the bone marker, P1NP, in postmenopausal women with age-related decline in BMD."
MENOPAUSE HORMONE THERAPY
MHT (Menopause Hormone Therapy) is often viewed as the first line of defense against osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women. Maintaining bone density by slowing down bone resorption and promoting bone formation when adequate levels are needed is crucial. As I said before, as estrogen levels decline during menopause, the risk of developing osteoporosis significantly increases. Therefore, supplementing with estrogen can slow and even reverse the effects of osteoporosis.
GET AN ASSESSMENT
Assessing your risk is essential. To determine your risk, you should undergo a bone density test, also known as a DEXA scan, which measures bone density. According to the CDC, the ideal time to have your first DEXA screening will depend on your risk factors but should occur no later than age 65.
As always, working under the guidance of a menopause specialist is a great start! You can find a doctor/nurse practitioner or physician's assistant using the Menopause Society's finder tool here.
You can also book a discovery Zoom with me here!
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