Bone Health

Bone Health and Menopause

One in two people going through menopause will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime.  This means that 50% of will break their hip, spine, wrist, or other bone with a simple fall or twist because of weakened bone.     

Osteoporosis is widely thought of as a disease of the elderly. Although fractures most commonly occur in older adults, bone loss begins when you are in your 40s. Bone loss occurs most rapidly during the menopause transition.  Decreased estrogen production during the menopause transition leads to a rapid rise in bone breakdown and rapid bone loss.     

Women experience an average annual bone loss of 2% starting during perimenopause and continuing for the subsequent 5-10 years, resulting in an average total bone loss of 10-12% in the hip and spine (equivalent to one T- score) across the menopausal transition. Subsequently, bone loss slows to 0.5% per year. By age 80, women have lost, on average, 30% of their peak bone mass. 

The time is now.  Maintaining bone health is far more effective than rebuilding bone health.  At the UCLA Menopause Program, multidisciplinary teams assess an individual’s bone health, genetic predisposition for osteoporosis-related fracture, and complete hormonal profile, resulting in a personalized plan that will help minimize your bone loss.  

We are committed to bringing the comprehensive care to bone health that you deserve, and getting ahead of osteoporosis before it becomes a problem for you.

Resources

Calcium sources
Vitamin D sources
Exercise
Nutrition
Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Buff Bones