Osteoporosis and Menopause: Are They Connected?

Not being able to do your favourite hobbies, join family trips or activities due to Osteoporosis can be disheartening. Your mornings are often agonising, and you can also lose precious sleep at night because of severe back pain. Yes, Osteoporosis is common for those who are getting old, but did you know that it may actually be linked to Menopause?

Here’s an article to help you know more about Osteoporosis, how it is related to Menopause and what you can do to ease its symptoms.

An Overview of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a medical condition that decreases the strength and density of the bones, causing them to become brittle to the point that simple movements, such as twisting or bending, can cause severe injuries like fractures. It also makes an individual shorter in height when bones from the spine break. It commonly affects the hip, wrist or spine.

To know if you have Osteoporosis, you can get a bone density scan or bone mineral density tests.

Symptoms of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a sneaky disease that does not cause any discomfort until you experience a fracture. You will not notice it until it reaches the point where it has affected the density of your bones, so it has been labelled as a ‘silent killer’. Once you have Osteoporosis, you will often notice the following symptoms:

• Back pain
•  Stooped posture
• Decreased height
• Getting fractures from small and simple movements.

Risk Factors for Osteoporosis

• Age and gender. Bones naturally grow weaker when people get old, but women with age 50 have higher chances of experiencing Osteoporosis. This is due to hormone issues and lighter bones
• Heredity. Family history plays a role in getting Osteoporosis. If your parents or grandparents developed this disease, it increases your chances of also getting it
• Previous bone injury. Fractures degrade the damaged bone’s overall health
• Bone structure. Being petite and having small bones increases the risk of Osteoporosis
• Long-term use of certain medications. Similar to steroids and other medications, such use can affect bone metabolism
• Other medical conditions, such as blood diseases, cancer, or stroke.

How Can Menopause Cause Osteoporosis?

A woman who is not yet in menopause produces several hormones like oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones play a lot of roles in regulating several functions of the body and in keeping various parts healthy.  
In particular, oestrogen regulates osteoblasts, which are cells that are responsible for the production of bones. Oestrogen may not be the same as calcium, but it is also a crucial part of keeping a good bone formation.

When a woman aged 45 to 60 enters menopause, she stops producing oestrogen. This hormone deficiency reduces the capacity of the bones to reform and allows them to become weaker, resulting in faster bone loss and increasing your chances of getting Osteoporosis.

How Do You Improve Symptoms?

• Eat healthy meals with food rich in calcium. Avoid a high-salt diet
• Step outside and receive vitamin D from the sun for 15 to 30 minutes
• Avoid smoking, alcohol, caffeine, carbonated drinks and beans/legumes
• Stay away from dangerous activities that may cause fractures.​

How to Prevent Osteoporosis during Menopause

Osteoporosis has no cure. This is why doing actions to prevent it can go a long mile. But how can you do it? Here are some of the ways you can decrease your risks of getting Osteoporosis.

Eat a Healthier Diet

Drop the high-salt meals and replace them with fruits and vegetables. Try including dark green vegetables, sweet potato and non-dairy milk.

Have Adequate Calcium

According to Better Health, which is managed and authorized by the State Government of Australia’s Department of Health, the ideal daily calcium intake is 1,300 mg.​

The best sources of calcium for menopause are:

• Leafy and green vegetables
• Non-dairy milk
• Fishes like salmon and sardines
• Almonds and nuts
• Fruits like figs, dried apricots, oranges and currants.

If you are still not getting enough calcium, you may consider taking supplements.

Get Vitamin D

Having sufficient calcium intake is not enough. It is important to get some vitamin D because it helps your body in absorbing calcium.

Do Exercise

Exercise does not only strengthen your muscles but also your bones. If you want to make your bones sturdier through exercise, do some resistance, balance and weight-bearing exercises.

Drink Menopause Tea
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If you are suffering from symptoms caused by menopause, herbal tea for menopause can help alleviate them. There is scientific proof that special tea blends assist in balancing oestrogen levels, which can reduce the side effects of having low hormones, such as osteoporosis, electric shocks, hot flushes, insomnia, joint pains, and brain fog. This healthy drink relieves issues caused by menopause and gives you a relaxing effect throughout the day.

How The Lady T Can Help You

If you are looking for a good menopause tea, The T Lady has all-organic, pure-taste and original menopause tea batches that are made from the finest herbs, including Red Clover and Black Cohosh that can give you relief from different menopause symptoms. It is available for purchase within Australia (free delivery), as well as internationally (includes postage). We also offer a subscription service that comes with free delivery. Contact us today!