What happens to bone density in menopause?

A drug used to treat patients at high risk of bone fractures could benefit women who have been through menopause. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) have given the green light for abaloparatide, which is used to manage and treat osteoporosis-It could help more than 14,000 women in England , they say. Why are postmenopausal women more susceptible to bone issues? “Bone density peaks at around 35 years old then naturally decreases with age,” explains Dr Thom Phillips, NHS GP and clinical lead at Forth .

“But women can be particularly susceptible to a rapid reduction in bone density (osteopenia) in the first few years after menopause, due to hormonal changes. “ Oestrogen plays a major role in protecting your bone density but levels decline during menopause, causing reduced bone density and increased risk of fractures. “It’s important that women going through the menopause look after their bone health as declining oestrogen levels make bones thinner and weaker, increasing the risk of developing osteoporosis.

” Sam Bhide, physiotherapist at Physiozen Ltd , adds: “During menopause, in terms of the musculoskeletal system, tendons do get affected leading to tendinopathies and decrease in oestrogen levels can cause decrease in bone density, increased inflammation in the body and decreased muscle mass and strength.” What is osteoporosis and what signs should we look out for? “Osteoporosis is a common bone disease, characterised by the loss of.