Why your bones feel the change too

When people talk about menopause, they usually mention hot flushes, sleep problems, or mood changes. But one of the biggest things happening during menopause is completely invisible — bone loss.

Here's the thing: oestrogen isn't just a reproductive hormone. It's also a key protector of bone strength. All through your life, your bones are constantly breaking down and rebuilding themselves — it's a normal process known as bone turnover. Oestrogen helps keep that balance in check.

During menopause, oestrogen levels drop. Without it doing its job, bone breaks down faster than it rebuilds. Over time, bones can become less dense — more like a sponge than solid rock. That's when they become fragile and easier to fracture.

Normal bone density Osteoporotic bone density

This condition — where bones become so weak that a small bump or minor fall can cause a break — is called osteoporosis. The tricky part is that osteoporosis has no symptoms. Most women first find out they have osteoporosis when they sustain a fracture of their hip, wrist or spine after a minor incident known as a minimal trauma incident.

1 in 4

women aged 60+ have osteoporosis

Your bones reach their peak strength around age 30. The stronger and denser your bones are by that point, the more "reserve" you have to draw on later in life. Think of it like a savings account — the more you put in early, the better protected you are.

Key strategies to improve your bone health now are a high calcium diet, adequate Vitamin D from the sun and food, exercise where you are on your feet, and resistance activities like strength training.

Bone loss during and after menopause is not inevitable. Your doctor can order a bone density scan (DEXA scan) to find out your baseline bone density, or you can head over to the free “Know Your Bones" https://www.knowyourbones.org.au/ online assessment tool to find out your risk of osteoporosis and the next steps you should take.

References

1. Healthy Bones Australia Menopause Fact Sheet (2024)

2. Australasian Menopause Society — Menopause and Bone Health Fact Sheet; AMS Osteoporosis Information Sheet. 

3. Royal Osteoporosis Society. Better bone health for everybody. https://theros.org.uk/

This blog post is for educational purposes only and should not replace medical advice from your healthcare provider. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new treatment.