Most women go through

 

 

 

 

 

menopause
When a woman stops having periods, it is called menopause. This usually happens around the age of 50.

 

 

 

 

 

menopause at about the age of 50. When this happens, your

 

 

 

 

 

ovaries
Women have two ovaries, one on each side of their womb. They are small glands that store eggs. Inside the ovaries are millions of pre-eggs, called follicles. Some of these grow into eggs.

 

 

 

 

 

ovaries stop making the

 

 

 

 

 

hormones
Hormones are chemicals that are made in certain parts of the body. They travel through the bloodstream and have an effect on other parts of the body. For example, the female sex hormone estrogen is made in a woman's ovaries. Estrogen has many different effects on a woman's body. It makes the breasts grow at puberty and helps control periods. It is also needed to get pregnant.

 

 

 

 

 

hormone called estrogen. Estrogen helps to keep your bones strong. This is because it slows down the cells that break down old bone in your body.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Adler RA.
Sex steroids and osteoporosis: the role of estrogens and androgens.
Clinics in Laboratory Medicine. 2000; 20: 549-558.

 

 

 

 

 

¹ Those cells are called osteoclasts.

When your body stops making estrogen, your bone is broken down faster for between five years and eight years afterward.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Ravn P, Cizza G, Bjarnason NH, et al.
Low body mass index is an important risk factor for low bone mass and increased bone loss in early post menopausal women: Early Postmenopausal Intervention Cohort (EPIC) study group.
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 1999; 9: 1622-1627.

 

 

 

 

 

² Then your body gets used to not having the estrogen. The breakdown process slows down again.

This rapid breakdown of your bones happens whenever you have menopause. So if menopause comes early (before age 45), you can get osteoporosis at a young age.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
ACOG practice bulletin: osteoporosis.
January 2004. Available at http://www.guideline.gov (accessed on 7 October 2009).

 

 

 

 

 

³ And if it comes later than average, your bones stay strong for longer.

If you are very thin and have small bones, you are more likely to get osteoporosis right after you go through menopause.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Ravn P, Cizza G, Bjarnason NH, et al.
Low body mass index is an important risk factor for low bone mass and increased bone loss in early post menopausal women: Early Postmenopausal Intervention Cohort (EPIC) study group.
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 1999; 9: 1622-1627.

 

 

 

 

 

²

Because estrogen keeps your bones strong, your bones will get weaker if your body stops making estrogen for any reason. This can happen if you have surgery to take out your ovaries. It can also happen if you stop having periods for six months or more (not including pregnancy or menopause). You can stop having periods if you eat too little or if you exercise too much. In these cases, your doctor may offer you drug treatment to replace the missing estrogen.

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