Osteoporosis and bone health

Osteoporosis means weak bone at risk for breaking with a fall from a standing height or less force (called a fragility fracture). Normal bones should not break with that little force. Menstrual cycles that begin around age 12 or 13 and are regular about a month apart provide estrogen that women need to maintain bone health. Hopefully we also know that exercise and strong muscles are needed for bone health. Most of us know that calcium is necessary to build and maintain strong bones and some of us also know that vitamin D is needed, too for healthy bones. CeMCOR scientists have shown that progesterone and normal ovulation during our menstruating years are necessary to prevent bone loss. Further, CeMCOR scientists have shown that cyclic progestin (a synthetic cousin of progesterone ) causes bone gain in a randomized controlled trial in otherwise healthy young women without regular periods (amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea) or with regular cycles but don’t ovulate normally (anovulation or short luteal phase cycles). Those who got the placebo treatment lost two percent of spinal bone in one year. Progestin or progesterone likely also causes more bone gain when given to menopausal with osteoporosis along with a bone-loss preventing medicine such as a bisphosphonate.It is important to think of good general health, healthy nutrition and exercise as well as normal estrogen and progesterone when working to gain and keep healthy and strong bones.

Depo Provera and Osteoporosis

I’ve been using Depo Provera and am feeling fine. I started Depo in high school after a surprise pregnancy—I couldn’t remember to take my Pill. Should I be worried about osteoporosis? I still need protection. I am 23, active and healthy, a bit on the heavy side and have no family history of osteoporosis.
Exercise and Skipped Periods

I’ve been on the track and field team at my high school for several years but only recently started running the 10 kilometre races. Although I got my period when I was 14 and my cycles have been somewhat irregular, I’ve not totally skipped periods until recently. My mother got worried and took me to the doctor. She checked me carefully, did a blood test for the pituitary hormones prolactin and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) that were normal, and said I seemed healthy. However, she also said that I should stop training until my periods became normal again. I don’t want to stop running. Do you think I have to?
Is the use of non-natural medroxyprogesterone what makes HRT bad?

I don’t think there is any problem with use of HRT as long as the natural estrogen (E2) is balanced with natural progesterone. What do you think? My feeling has always been that the “bad” things reported, supposedly because of HRT, even when E2 is used, are caused by the use of progestin. One can obtain progesterone easily enough, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
Lost Periods Due to Stress

I am 28 years old and I haven’t menstruated for 3.5 years… I believe due to stress. Chinese herbs haven’t worked, nor vitamin supplements. I haven’t tried hormone replacements. My doctor has measured pituitary hormones, my CT scan of the pituitary is normal and my ovaries haven’t gone into menopause. What should I do?
Progesterone Adds to the Positive Bone Effects of Estrogen/Etidronate

I saw you on Shaw TV last September and want to say “thanks” for such an informative and helpful presentation. I have been a fan of yours for a number of years, ever since I heard you at a seminar at Royal Columbian, when I was beginning perimenopause. I found your symptoms “diary” most helpful and have shared it with many of my friends over the years.

Being a nurse I always seem to end up checking the pathophysiology of things before I accept them as beneficial to me, and of course menopause was no exception. I heard Dr. John Lee speak about the time I was considering hormone therapy. In 1998 I chose to start on a cream of natural progesterone (50 mg a day). I had to first convince my GP I did not want synthetics if a hormone identical to what I had made for 40 years was available! The reason for hormone therapy was to hopefully ward off osteoporosis because of a strong family history, a congenital abnormality of my back, and BMD showing osteopenia with osteoporosis of one vertebra. I have never looked back. But I did not get a rise in BD as I hoped; after 2 years it stayed much the same. So for the last year I have had estrogen added (as a cream, TriEst 2.5 mg, a natural combination of estrogens).

My bargain with my GP was that if I had no increase after one year I would agree to start a bisphosphonate. My quandary is that at age 58, three years post last period, should I need to go there? I would rather not take Didrocal® because it doesn’t cause a BMD increase, or Fosamax®.

Are there any better, safer alternatives coming along? Is a year long enough to evaluate the benefit of being on a combination of estrogen and progesterone?
What should I expect after early surgical menopause?

I’m 47 and had my ovaries but not my uterus removed. However, following surgery I wasn’t told what to expect, if I needed to take hormones, or what I might experience. My GP was as vague as my gynecologist. I’m having 2-3 night sweats a week, my sleep is very interrupted and have 3-6 daytime hot flushes per week but all of these things are the same as before surgery. I even still have my usual libido and good vaginal lubrication. I thought I’d lose those with my ovaries. . . .
Why do I have Osteoporosis? I’m Way too Young!

I slipped on some soggy leaves while walking home from work. I ended up breaking my upper arm. I’m only 36-this kind of fracture typically happens in 80 year olds! My bone density shows a Z-score of -3, meaning I have osteoporosis by bone density as well as low trauma fracture. But how I could have osteoporosis since I am so young and do everything right? I walk about an hour a day (my commute), I eat yogurt and cheese and drink 3 glasses of skim milk a day-all my life I have taken a multi vitamin. My weight is perfect. I’ve never skipped a period and they come predictably every 27 days. I don’t even have osteoporosis in my family. Why did I break my arm???
The ABCs of Osteoporosis Prevention for Women in Midlife

Bone Health: As Simple as ABC! Perimenopause, the time of change before, and a year after the final menstrual period, is also a time of increased risk for falling, bone loss and occasionally, for fractures. Bone loss is more rapid from the start of irregular flow until a year after the final period compared to…