PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK
Currently, I am transitioning through the menopause and have been told that I will be at a greater risk of osteoporosis. So, what can I do? Healthy bones are created with a fine balance between bone formation and bone breakdown (measured by Bone Mineral Density or BMD). After the age of 30, bone formation slows down and bone breakdown increases.
This process speeds up when women start their journey through the menopause – women can lose up to 20 per cent of their BMD in the five to seven years after the menopause because of the decline of oestrogen. Some studies have shown an average loss of bone density in the spine as five per cent per year in the immediate years after the menopause. The relationship between oestrogen and bone formation means that women who may be experiencing amenorrhea (a lack of menstrual cycle) may also be at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis. A family history of osteoporosis, women with fair skin, and a personal history of anorexia or hypothyroidism can increase the risk, too.