Bone Loss. Should I Be Worried?

My great-grandmother lived to be 101. And, by the time she passed away, I was almost 30, and the family was convinced that she may outlive us all. I remember a number of things about her, including the fact she was an excellent cook—and she cooked with a LOT of real butter. My great-grandmother was also quite short and bit hunched over, due to osteoporosis. My grandmother (her daughter, who she outlived) was also diagnosed with osteoporosis sometime in her 60s. Does it run in the family? At what point should I be concerned? 

While bone loss and osteoporosis are directly linked to menopause, newer studies indicate that bone mineral density begins to decrease in perimenopause. I’ve been taking vitamin D for many years, I try to eat a healthy diet, and I do weight-bearing exercise.

We know hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can aid in the prevention of bone loss, but there are “no currently established  guidelines for addressing the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis in perimenopausal women.”

Are you concerned about bone loss too? Let us know. We are working to get your questions answered.

Related Resources:

• https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/press-release/osteoporosis-education-lacking.pdf

• https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/bone-health-and-heart-health/frax-sup-sup-a-tool-for-estimating-your-fracture-risk

• https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/bone-health/art-20045060

• https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/menopause-and-bone-loss 

Written By: Jamie Forward