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Menopause and osteoporosis: what is the connection?

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bettercare market
Menopause and osteoporosis: what is the connection?

There is an undeniable connection between the loss of bone mass and menopause. In fact, according to the Australasian Menopause Society: “the average woman loses up to 10 percent of her bone mass in the first 5 to 7 years after menopause”.

It is important to know the correlation between osteoporosis and menopause as (post)menopausal women are at high risk of developing osteoporosis. The hormonal fluctuations can cause the decline of natural build-up of bones.

Learn about the link between bone health and menopause. 

What women need to know about osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition characterised by tissue loss in the bones. 7 out of 10 persons with osteoporosis are women of 50. The main consequence of tissue loss in the bones is that the bones become weaker as they lose their mass.

This process happens naturally with the decline of estrogen levels during menopause. Estrogen is the hormone responsible for protecting and rebuilding your bones. If you don’t have enough estrogen in your body, your body cannot regulate your bone cycle, meaning that less bones are formed causing bone degeneration. Menopause can overtime increase your risk of developing osteoporosis.

Alongside this, a deficiency in certain minerals, like calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D can lead to the loss of bone mass as your body has to draw from its stores of calcium in order to function. If you had a slight calcium deficiency before menopause, the effects can be devastating to your bone health.

 

Then there’s also the fact that women’s bones are smaller making them more prone to devastating losses with the slightest decrease in bone mass. 

This is why it is important to maintain good bone health earlier on, before menopause. With adequate calcium supplies in the body, you will have a buffer when your bone health declines naturally during menopause.

Other factors can also compromise your bone health and make you more susceptible to osteoporosis:

  • Low body weight
  • Smoking, disrupts the estrogen levels
  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • Having had falls and broken bones in the past
  • A family history of osteoporosis
  • Asian or Caucasian descent seems to predispose women to osteoporosis

  

What can women do to support bone health?

Woman seems to be very susceptible for osteoporisis. 3 out of 4 women are female, many around the age of 50. What can women do to minimise the risks of osteoporosis?

Some lifestyle changes will improve your ability to fend off developping osteoporosis. Women must start taking care of their health and implementing bone-healthy habits earlier on in life. The simple lifestyle changes that can make all the differences include increasing your calcium intake and your exercise levels.

  

The impact of exercise is shown to significantly increase bone density in women. There are also other benefits of leading an active life with plenty of exercise. Daily activity will improve insulin sensitivity and keep your blood glucose levels under control. It also keeps you warm. The most beneficial forms of exercise include walking, going to the gym, and exercising at home with some easy gym equipment like a pedal exerciser. Other must-have bone-health exercise tools include dumbbells.

You will also want to work on your diet, ensuring your diet is rich in leafy green vegetables and whole foods that are not processed. Your body requires a greater amount of calcium to neutralise the effects of processed foods, which requires the body to draw more from the body’s stores.

Vitamin D is important for your bones too, it enables the body to absorb the calcium supplements and the foods you consume and strengthen the bones. 

A healthy weight, no cigarette smoking, and minimal alcohol consumption goes a long way in protecting your bones, too.

 

How to live well with osteoporosis?

With osteoporosis being such a common problem for many women, there are daily living aids available that can prevent falls around your home. They’re designed to make everyday life easier and simpler.

A walking stick, like the Comfort-Plus Quad Cane is designed to add stability to your movements. It will help to keep your balance. If you need a bit more support when walking , we recommend using this Rollator.

Handrails and grab rails like these have proven incredibly useful to keep your balance in the bathroom. A Multifunctional Shower Chair can provide a greater level of independence and safety in the shower. 

You can minimise the need to move about and sit comfortably with this overchair table.

Safety first in the kitchen, this kettle tipper prevents burns and makes it easier to enjoy a good cuppa without the risk.

Simplify food preparation with our food workstation.

Minimise the pain and discomfort that comes with osteoporosis with this very convenient PainGone pen.


What’s the bottom line?

There is a clear correlation between menopause and osteoporosis. Menopause comes with a deficiency of estrogen which speeds up the process of bone loss, increasing the risk of Osteoporosis.  

The bone condition can often be prevented with calcium supplementation and a healthy lifestyle in an earlier phase of life.

You can reduce the severity of the condition and preserve your bone health by combining some healthy lifestyle changes with some practical daily living aids that will help you prevent falls.

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