Your BONES - On and Off Estrogen

The impact of losing estrogen, and the impact of taking estrogen

When women think about the benefits of menopausal hormone therapy, things like hot flashes, insomnia and vaginal dryness come to mind.

But for many women, bone health is, or should be, at the top of the list.

In my latest Inside Information: Menopause, Midlife and More podcast episode, I interview Dr. Risa Kagan about the role of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in bone health- how hormones impact bone, what happens when you stop producing hormones, and potential benefits of hormone therapy.

I hope you will listen to the whole episode (It’s FREE), but here are three critical takeaways.

THE DANGER ZONE, when most women lose the majority of their bone mass, starts BEFORE the last menstrual period

In addition to known risk factors such as genetics, smoking,and being sedentary, HOT FLASHES are also associated with bone loss

When ESTROGEN therapy is DISCONTINUED, you not only lose future bone benefits, but you also lose any bone that you gained because of estrogen therapy.

LISTEN

Here are the topics we discuss:

• Definition of Low Bone Mass (Osteopenia) and Osteoporosis

• The Difference Between a T score and a Z score

• FRAX- Fracture Risk Assessment Tool

• When Bone Mass Peaks

• How to Maximize Bone Health Before Menopause Hits

• Role of Estrogen in Young Women

• The Danger Zone- When Most Women Lose the Majority of Their Bone Mass

• The Role of Birth Control Pills and Prevention of Bone Loss

• If Exercise is Enough

• The Relationship Between Hot Flashes and Osteoporosis

• Bone Loss Post Menopause

• Impact of Menopausal ESTROGEN THERAPY on Bones

• Taking Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) in the ABSENCE OF HOT FLASHES to Protect Bones

• The Difference Between Bone DENSITY and Bone QUALITY

• When it is Appropriate to take an ANABOLIC AGENT

• If the TYPE of Estrogen you take matters (Conjugated, Synthetic, Bioidentical)

• What DOSE of Estrogen is Needed to Prevent Fractures

• If it is Appropriate to Monitor Estradiol BLOOD LEVELS When Taking Transdermal MHT

• The TARGET ESTRADIOL Level for Bone Health

• What Happens to Bone Density When MHT is Discontinued

• If MHT Should Be Taken Forever

• If PROGESTERONE Plays a Role in Bone Health

• The Role of BAZODOXIFENE (Duavee™) in Bone Health

• The Role of TESTOSTERONE therapy in Bone Health

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There has been some confusion about my podcasts, since I have two.

Inside Information: Menopause, Midlife and More

Inside Information is now in its 4th season with over 1 million downloads. You will find interviews with top experts in women’s health and me discussing various topics of interest to peri and post menopause women. It can be found on all podcast platforms.

Inside Information is FREE. New episodes are released every other Wednesday.

COME AGAIN: Sexuality and Orgasm

COME AGAIN is a subscription-based, limited series (30 episodes total) that explores the biological, hormonal, and medical reasons (and solutions) for loss of libido, pain with sexual activity, and post-menopause difficulty with arousal and orgasm.

Free Substack subscribers get access to Episodes 1 and 2, and previews of subsequent episodes.

Monthly and annual subscribers get full access to the 4 most recent episodes. Older episodes go into the archives.

Inside Info PLUS subscribers (just $10 more than an annual subscription) have access to all 30 episodes on demand.

Once you subscribe, you can listen to COME AGAIN on Apple and other podcast platforms. New episodes are released on Thursday.