The Hormonal Connection, and How to Counteract Its Effects
Simply put, osteoporosis is the loss of your trabecular bone density or the inner sponge-like part of your bone. After 35, your body loses more bone than it rebuilds, which means your skeleton gradually weakens. However, that weakening process can speed up significantly a decade or two down the line when most women enter menopause. Thankfully, there are medications like Evenity, a medication used to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture, designed to increase bone mass and reduce the risk of fractures.
6 Ways to Cope with Menopause
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
- Regular Exercise.
- Balanced Diet and Nutrition.
- Stress Management Techniques.
- Adequate Sleep.
- Supportive Social Networks.
Who’s at Risk?
Women are much more prone to osteoporosis than men. For every man who experiences drastic bone loss, four women will suffer the same fate. However, that doesn’t mean every woman is destined to develop the disease. Aside from predictable menopausal hormonal changes, certain factors can increase your chances:
- Ancestry. White and Asian women are more likely to develop osteoporosis, while black women are less prone to the condition.
- Bone structure. Thin and petite people are at greater risk of osteoporosis, because they have less bone at the outset, which means they have less bone to lose before health risks set in.
- Family history. Although your personal health can play a substantial role in your risk for bone loss, your family history may be a more important risk factor. If a parent or grandparent showed signs of osteoporosis (like bone fractures after minor trauma), your own risk is higher.
After discussing your lifestyle, family history, and medical issues with your doctor, you might want to have a bone mineral density (BMD) test. These are painless procedures that use X-rays to unveil the density of your bones.
In general, all post-menopausal women over the age of 65 should have a BMD; if you have specific osteoporosis risk factors, it’s a good idea to get tested at an earlier age.
Keeping up Your Bone Mass After Menopause
So, you know your bones are more vulnerable after menopause, and you know how difficult it is to reverse a natural biological progression. It may seem like you’re at the mercy of your age and risk factors, but there are several ways to counteract bone loss now and for years to come.
Weight Bearing Exercise
Putting pressure on your bones may seem like a bad idea when you’re worried about fractures as you get older, but high-impact, weight-bearing exercise is one of the very best preventative measures you can take. Movements that work against gravity — like running, jumping, or even dancing — strain your bones enough to build bone density.
Menopause and constipation can go hand in hand, causing uncomfortable bowel movements. Here are five causes to be aware of.
While most types of aerobic exercise are good for your general health, you need to challenge your body to get the greatest bone-building benefit. A study out of the University of Bristol found that people who ran a 10-minute mile, or who jumped off of and onto a platform at least 15 inches high, saw a lot of improvement in hip bone density.
If you can’t sustain such a high level of activity, don’t despair — evidence suggests that even less forceful movements can help maintain bone density, even if they don’t build it up. Moreover, the sooner you incorporate weight-bearing exercise into your regular routine, the longer the effects will last, and the healthier your bones will be in decades to come.
Vitamin Supplements
Calcium is an important ally in your fight against bone loss, but it can’t solve all your problems. To get the strengthening effect, you’ll need to take in enough vitamin D to allow your bones to absorb that calcium.
The sun is a top source of vitamin D, and just 20 minutes of sun exposure every day can be enough for your body to produce the amount it needs. However, if you can’t get all your vitamin D from the sun, fortified foods, fatty fish and supplements can make up the difference.
Just remember that you can get too much of a good thing: more than 10,000 IU of vitamin D in one day could harm your liver and possibly lower your bone mass even more. Since it can be difficult to accurately measure your intake, ask your doctor how much vitamin D you should take, and in which form to take it.
Medications
Diet and exercise can go far to protect your bones, but these aren’t always enough. For many women at risk of osteoporosis — and for those who have already experienced a fracture — medication that targets the bone structure can be an important addition to your management plan.
- Bisphosphonates (Fosamax, Actonel, Atelvia). These drugs prevent bone breakdown.
- Calcitonin drugs (Fortical, Miacalcin). These slow bone loss and can increase the density of spinal bone.
- Selective estrogen receptor modulator, or SERM (Evista). This medication acts like estrogen in the body to prevent and slow the progress of osteoporosis.
7 Symptoms of Menopause
- Irregular periods, including very light or very heavy bleeding.
- Hot flashes.
- Night sweats.
- Vaginal dryness.
- Weight gain.
- Issues sleeping.
- Feeling cold or chilly.
As menopause research advances, more drugs are being tested and marketed to stop or slow bone loss. Of course, like any medication, most bring some chance of side effects, but in many cases the severity of complications is less than those associated with hormone therapy.
Evenity for Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women
Evenity is a pharmaceutical intervention designed to address osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, a condition characterized by weakened and fragile bones. Serving as a bone-strengthening agent, Evenity plays a pivotal role in enhancing bone mass and mitigating the risk of fractures. This medication is particularly beneficial for individuals seeking to strengthen their bones during the postmenopausal phase. Evenity contributes to the overall management of osteoporosis, offering a valuable option for women aiming to preserve bone health and reduce vulnerability to fractures.
Hormone Therapy
Since a fall in estrogen plays such a big role in the onset of osteoporosis, taking in more estrogen should improve your bone mass, right? Well, not exactly. It’s very difficult to build bone mass back up after you’ve lost it, and simply increasing your hormone levels likely won’t accomplish the feat. However, studies do suggest that hormone therapy (HT) can slow down the osteoporosis process, and even prevent future bone loss.
Not all women are suited to HT, but if you entered menopause early (before the age of 45), or your BMD test shows you’re at a high risk for osteoporosis, your doctor may consider prescribing HT.
However, there are some major side effects to consider, from blood clots to cancer, so all of your medical history and personal risk factors should be taken into consideration before deciding one way or the other.
As the holes in this bone widen, the structure loses strength, leaving you at high risk for small fractures that can cause big problems. Different conditions can lead to this sort of bone loss, but age is the main factor.
