Optimising Bone Health During the Menopausal Transition

Osteoporosis (or porous bones) is a progressive condition in which bones become structurally weak and are more likely to fracture or break. Menopause is the most common cause of primary osteoporosis in women. Estrogen helps prevent bones from getting weaker by slowing the natural breakdown of bone, its reduction during menopause significantly speeds up bone loss. The rapid phase of bone loss occurs in a 3-year period around the final menstrual period (FMP); bone mineral density (BMD) begins to decline around 1 year prior to the FMP, and continues to decrease in early post menopause, with a slight reduction in loss rate around 2 years after the FMP. During the 3-year-long rapid bone loss phase in the transmenopause, the average rate of decline in BMD among White women was 2.5% per year in the lumbar spine and 1.8% per year in the femoral neck.