Maintaining Healthy Bones as You Age

estrogen promotes healthy bones

Once menopause occurs, estrogen levels decline. This causes women to become susceptible to bone loss, called osteopenia (some bone loss), and osteoporosis (significant bone loss). Women of certain ethnicities (Caucasian and Asian) are more prone to bone loss as are thinner women. Family history is also a factor. In addition lifestyle choices that contribute to bone loss include smoking, alcohol and caffieine use, calcium and vitamin D deficient diet, and lack of exercise.

Treatments for bone loss reconsidered

The mainstay of prevention and treatment for bone loss has been estrogen replacement therapy, calcium supplementation, and drugs called biphosphonates. However, in the past decade, significant data began to support an increased risk of breast cancer, heart attack, and stroke with estrogen use. Because of this, the recommendation for its use for bone prevention and treatment was dropped. Estrogen was suggested to be used only for the short term for vasomotor symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and mood swings. Then this summer came the report that women taking calcium supplements have a higher risk of stroke and heart attack. Finally, information surfaced that suggests the biphosphonates may make bones more brittle when used long-term.

So what's a woman to do to protect her bones?

First, prevention is key and it starts at a young age, and lifestyle plays an important role:

• Weight bearing exercise helps prevent bone loss and aids in bone resorption.
• A consistent exercise program is important throughout life.
• It is also important to maintain a healthy weight. Find out your ideal body weight and try to maintain it.
• Ensure that you get plenty of daily calcium and vitamin D in your diet. The calcium recommendation for women over 50 is 1200 mg/day. Calcium and vitamin D are prevalent in many foods.
• Don't smoke.
• Limit alcohol and caffeine intake.
• Get a bone scan to evaluate your bone health.

Once you reach age 65 if you are low risk (or age 50 if you have risk factors), ask your healthcare provider about getting a bone scan to evaluate for osteopenia and osteoporosis. If you find that you do have these conditions, you will need to work out a treatment regimen with your healthcare provider. And continue to do the things that are good for your bones mentioned above--no matter what your age.