US scientists have found that menopausal hormone replacement therapy increases bone density and reduces the risk of postmenopausal fractures. The research was published in the journal Menopause.
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bone density decreases and the risk of fractures, chronic pain and disability increases. A less severe loss of bone density, called osteopenia, precedes osteoporosis. An increased risk of osteoporosis is associated with estrogen deficiency. This is partly why postmenopausal women have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis than older men.
In the new study, researchers analyzed data from more than 6,000 postmenopausal women. They looked at a variety of hormone therapies, including oral contraceptives, estrogen-only pills, estrogen-progestogen combination pills, and estrogen-only patches.
The researchers concluded that all forms of hormone therapy, with the exception of the bands, protected against low bone mineral density in the lumbar spine in postmenopausal women. These benefits persisted even after hormonal therapy was discontinued.
Although hormones slowed bone density loss, they did not affect the prevalence of osteoporosis. This means that taking hormones may not be effective for all menopausal women, so more research is needed.