Estrogen and Osteoporosis
Unfortunately, osteoporosis is one of the more serious symptoms of menopause. Medical practitioners recognize that a majority of women will suffer from a certain level of osteoporosis during their lifetime. The symptoms of osteoporosis can be severe and dangerous if not given proper medical attention. In order to avoid the debilitating effects of osteoporosis take some time to read over the following paragraphs providing an outline of the link between menopause, estrogen and osteoporosis.
What exactly is osteoporosis?
 Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disorder which consists of the bone getting thinner and weaker, and characterized by a general decrease in overall bone mass and density.
Human bones are composed of two major elements; minerals, primarily including calcium and phosphorous, and bone cells (osteoblasts and osteoclasts). The essential roles of bone cells – osteoclasts eat away at the bones, osteoblasts serve to recreate them. In order to maintain healthy bones, both the osteoclasts and the osteoblasts need to be working in harmony to ensure constant and healthy regeneration.
Quick Fact:
Humans on average lose about 1% of bone mass each year. During menopause women can lose between 2% to 7% of bone.
Osteoporosis leaves the bones more susceptible to breakages and fractures. The wrists, spine and hips are the most vulnerable bones – often breaking when a fall occurs. Such injuries are obviously detrimental to quality of life and independence.
What is the link between osteoporosis and estrogen?
 Menopause is characterized by the loss of estrogen production by the ovaries. This loss of estrogen accelerates bone loss for a period ranging from five to eight years. The lack of estrogen enhances the ability of oseoclasts to absorb bone. Because osteoblasts (cells which produce bone) aren´t similarly nourished to lay down more bone, more bone is lost than is produced. This causes women to lose more bone mass than normal.
Quick Fact:
Estrogen replacement during menopause protects bone mass and helps protect against the risk of osteoporotic fractures.
Accelerated bone loss during menopause has little relationship to the amount of calcium intake. Despite this, after the age of 60 it has been shown that increased attention to calcium intake increases bone density. Other, less frequently referred to causes of bone loss include an inadequate intake of vitamin D, not enough muscle exercises, and the use of certain medications. Despite this, hormonal imbalance as a result of menopause is usually the primary cause. Read on for more information about avoiding and dealing with osteoporosis.
What should be done about osteoporosis and estrogen?
Quick Fact:
Women should have their medical practitioner check for osteoporosis before entering menopause. This will help determine which stage of pre-menopausal osteoporosis.
It should first be noted that preventing osteoporosis in the first place is far easier and far more desirable than treating it. The first step in preventing osteoporosis must therefore be in controlling estrogen and calcium levels. Of course, this is contingent on early detection of the signs of osteoporosis or menopause.
Having established that osteoporosis is linked to a drop in estrogen hormones in the body, maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine. There are also a range of pharmaceutical and alternative medicine remedies that help prevent osteoporosis. These remedies will often target the issue of estrogen depletion itself, and therefore can prove effective in preventing osteoporosis as the consequences of hormone imbalance. Click on the following link to get more information on some of the treatments concerning osteoporosis.
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