This episode is all about menopause bone health: why we lose bone mass as we get older, and what you can do about it.
You may have heard that osteoporosis is common in women as they age, but why?
Bone is living tissue that is constantly changing. It's not solid like we might think. It looks kind of like a honeycomb. Our bones are always being broken down and replaced or remodelled with new bone.
Why We Lose Bone Mass After Menopause
Estrogen has a protective effect on bones and also helps with calcium absorption. So as estrogen decreases, our bones can break down faster than the body can replace the bone. When we are younger, the bones are built up faster than they are broken down.
But during menopause, we lose bone faster than it can be built back up. So if you think back to that honeycomb, the holes would be getting bigger and bigger. And because of the loss of estrogen having this effect on our bones, women are two to three times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis. We also have a lower bone mineral density than men to begin with.
Osteoporosis Risk Factors
Things that can increase your risk factor of osteoporosis might include:
family history
fair skin or hair
a small frame
low calcium or vitamin D
smoking
alcohol consumption
eating disorders
early menopause (which could be due to medical menopause from a surgery)
certain medications
sedentary lifestyle.
But there are things we can do to help our bones.
Get a Bone Density Test
You can get a bone density test to know where you stand, even though we are at peak bone density around age 30, and we start to lose bone every year in our mid 40s. You can always improve your bone health, even in your 80s. Osteoporosis often doesn't have symptoms, except possibly loss of height or fractures.
But I'd rather you find out if you have osteoporosis before breaking any bones, obviously. So if you can get your bone mineral density checked, it's great knowledge to have.
Nutrition for Bone Health During Menopause
Diet is a huge factor in bone health.
Eating enough calories is important and from a variety of sources. Be sure to eat enough protein because about a third of our bone mass is protein. Preferably, this should be plant protein because animal protein and acidic foods can leach calcium, as can junk food, simple sugars, or caffeine, so keep those low.
Eating lots of unprocessed plant foods can decrease your risk of osteoporosis. Be sure to eat lots of colourful fruits and veggies, which protect against oxidative stress and leaching calcium and minerals.
Vegan Sources of Calcium for Bone Health
Calcium is absolutely essential. There is lots of calcium in leafy greens, especially parsley and kale. Tofu is sometimes set in calcium, which is very absorbable and is another great source.
And chickpeas and almonds are high in calcium as well. Calcium is not the only mineral that's important, though. Our bones are also made of other minerals like phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, to name a few.
Getting a high variety of foods is ideal. Vitamin D helps maintain your blood levels of calcium. My preferred way of getting vitamin D is getting it through the sun, but I live in Canada where the sun is not strong enough in the winter months to absorb vitamin D through our skin, so supplementation is necessary.
And our healthcare in British Columbia doesn't cover vitamin D lab testing because they basically just assume we are all at a deficiency and need to supplement.
Some things like oat milk might be fortified with vitamin D, and mushrooms have some vitamin D as well, but it's not sufficient on its own.
Exercise for Bone Health During Menopause
Exercise is the next thing to consider.
Weight-bearing activity helps us build more bone cells. So you want to put some stress on your bones, and that'll stimulate the bone building and more calcium to be deposited into your bones. Walking, weight training, dancing, or running (if that's realistic for you).
All of those activities are great bone builders. High impact activities like skipping or jumping, if it's safe to do so, is really great for building more bone, but that's if you don't already have osteoporosis. Jumping is not realistic to start off with for most women in menopause and definitely not if you have osteoporosis.
But weight bearing activity doesn't have to be formal exercise. It could be things you do around the house. For example, doing yard work or carrying your groceries or going up the stairs are all weight-bearing activities because they put a bit of stress on your bones.
Swimming is great exercise; however, it doesn't put the load on your bones that builds them up. Things like the elliptical or stationary bike are also good for your cardiovascular health, but they are not weight-bearing activities.
And balance training is a good idea as well because our risk of falling increases as we get older. That could also be because of decreased strength and stability or things like eyesight changes or slower reflexes. And this is when a lot of women can fracture a hip, which is quite serious and can be very difficult to recover from, especially if you have osteoporosis.
Balance training is great to help avoid falls. And that type of exercise would involve things like standing on one leg or shifting your weight. Tai Chi is an excellent example.
Getting enough sleep is of course super important as well to help with recovery and to give your muscles and bones a chance to repair.
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DISCLAIMER: This website's information is general in nature and for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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