One bone loss factor is age. Most women naturally begin to lose bone mass after age 30.

Another is menopause. Menopause is the time when women’s bodies stop producing eggs and cut down on making estrogen. On average, women go through menopause by age 51. Menopause usually occurs anytime during a woman’s 40’s into her 60’s.

Bones rely on estrogen from the body to help maintain bone strength. When estrogen levels naturally decline after menopause bones begin to lose an important source of support. As a result, bones can get thinner and weaker, leading to bone loss, osteopenia, fractures, and osteoporosis. A woman’s body adapts as she ages. To help reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis risk factors, a woman’s estrogen level does not need to be brought back to the point it was at before menopause. A small amount of estrogen may help raise a woman’s estrogen level to an amount needed to help prevent weak bones and bone loss after menopause.

It may not be too late to take action to help protect your bone strength. Changes to your diet, consuming the right amounts of calcium and vitamin D, doing weight-bearing exercise, and, in some instances for appropriate women, taking prescription medication, like Menostar, may help strengthen your bones. You and your healthcare professional can track whether your bone mass is staying the same, improving, or getting worse with a simple test called a Bone Mineral Density (BMD) test.