Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become thinner and weaker, so they break more easily. It usually causes no symptoms until a fracture happens. For women, the years around menopause are a key time to pay attention, because this is when bone loss speeds up the most.
Why Menopause Affects Your Bones
Bone is living tissue. Your body constantly breaks down small amounts of old bone and replaces it with new bone. Estrogen acts like a brake on the breakdown side of this cycle.
When estrogen levels fall during menopause, that brake is released. Bone is removed faster than it is rebuilt, and the fastest loss typically happens in the years just before and after the final menstrual period. Women who reach menopause early, including after surgery that removes both ovaries, spend more years with low estrogen and may need attention to bone health sooner.
When to Get a Bone Density Test
A bone density test, called a DXA scan, is a quick, painless scan that measures bone density, usually at the hip and spine. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends osteoporosis screening for all women 65 and older. It also recommends screening for younger postmenopausal women who are found to be at increased risk, based on factors such as a previous fracture, low body weight, smoking, or certain medications.
Testing matters because many fractures go unnoticed. Researchers estimate that about two-thirds of spine fractures are never diagnosed.
Everyday Steps That Support Strong Bones
- Calcium. Women over 50 are generally advised to get about 1,200 mg per day from food and supplements combined, without going above 2,000 mg.
- Vitamin D. The recommended amount is 600 IU per day for ages 51 to 70 and 800 IU per day after 70.
- Exercise. Weight-bearing activity, strength training, and balance exercises help support bone and muscle.
- Fall prevention. About one in four older adults falls each year. Clearing clutter, adding grab bars and lighting, and checking your vision and medications can lower the risk.
Treatment Options and When to Seek Care
For women at high risk of fracture, several types of medication can help. Some slow bone loss, while others help build new bone. Each has benefits, side effects, and precautions that are best discussed with a healthcare professional who knows your history.
Seek prompt medical attention after any fall that causes pain, or for sudden, severe back pain, which can be a sign of a spine fracture. If you have broken a bone from a simple fall, ask whether you should be checked for osteoporosis.
Want to go deeper? Strong Bones After Menopause, an Apex Tome guide, explains bone density results, nutrition, exercise, fall prevention, and treatment options in plain language, chapter by chapter. Explore the guide:
