Hormone therapy linked to 69% lower risk of thinning bones

• Folks going via menopause typically expertise a spread of signs similar to scorching flashes, sleep disturbances, temper adjustments, mind fog, and osteoporosis.
• Hormone remedy might help alleviate these signs, however some individuals are reluctant to take it as a result of previous research have urged it could improve the chance of endometrial, breast, and ovarian most cancers.
• Now, a research has added to the proof that hormone remedy can enhance bone density, serving to to forestall bone fractures.
• The researchers discovered that girls taking menopausal hormone remedy had a 69% decrease threat of low bone mineral density than these not utilizing hormone alternative.

Some individuals sail via menopause, the tip of a lady’s reproductive years, with the cessation of menstrual durations being the one signal that it has occurred. For others, the years main as much as and following menopause are a time of scorching flashes, disturbed nights, urinary issues, thinning hair, temper adjustments, mind fog, and a lack of bone density, which might result in osteoporosis.

Menopausal hormone remedy (MHT) might help to alleviate these signs, however it’s not suitable for everybody going via the menopause.

Now, a small research being introduced at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society’s annual assembly in Chicago, is including to the proof that menopausal hormone remedy (MHT) might help forestall bone density loss that usually results in fractures.

Of their research, researchers discovered that girls on MHT have been 69% much less more likely to have low bone mineral density than ladies who weren’t on the therapy.

“We’ve identified that bone safety is a advantage of menopause hormone therapy and this research helps that long-held perception.”

— Ruthann Devera, M.D., OBGYN at MemorialCare Medical Group, Lengthy Seashore, California, who was not concerned within the research

The findings of the research are but to be revealed in a peer-reviewed journal.

The researchers carried out a retrospective cohort research of 387 postmenopausal ladies who had undergone DEXA bone scans between 2021 and 2025 to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD). All scans have been carried out by the identical licensed bone densitometry technician and analyzed by the identical medical densitometrist to attenuate inter-operative variability.

Of the cohort, 129 used menopausal hormone remedy, and 258 didn’t. There have been no important variations in age, vitamin D ranges, and years since menopause between the two teams.

Lead and corresponding writer, Diego Espinoza-Peralta, MD, MSc, Endocrinologist, Scientific Trialist, Centro Médico Dr. Ignacio Chávez ISSSTESON / Mexican Society of Diet and Endocrinology (SMNE) Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, advised Medical Information At this time that the ladies, who had a imply age of 59.8 years, “included ladies receiving menopausal hormone remedy in routine apply, together with completely different regimens based on particular person medical indications.”

The researchers didn’t have particulars of the person varieties of hormone remedy, or whether or not it was by oral or transdermal administration.

From the scans, the researchers recognized low bone mineral density in nearly half of the ladies (186 people), nevertheless it was almost twice as frequent in these not utilizing MHT, as Espinoza-Peralta outlined: “Among the many ladies receiving MHT, 41 of 129 (31.8%) had low BMD, in contrast with 145 of 258 (56.2%) amongst non-users.”

MHT customers had considerably greater BMD than non-users in each the lumbar backbone and hip — two areas through which fractures are common in older ladies.

“I consider our findings are clinically related as a result of they supply real-world proof supporting the affiliation between menopausal hormone remedy (MHT) and higher skeletal well being in postmenopausal ladies. In our cohort, ladies receiving MHT had considerably decrease prevalence of low bone mineral density, greater lumbar backbone and whole hip T-scores, and a 69% decrease adjusted odds of low bone mineral density after accounting for main medical threat components.”

— Diego Espinoza-Peralta

Dr Paula Briggs, Affiliate Scientific Professor, College of Liverpool and speedy previous chair of the British Menopause Society, who was not concerned within the research, welcomed the findings, however was not stunned by them:

“Mainly, this isn’t new — even the controversial Women’s Health Initiative from 2002 highlighted a 34% discount in hip fracture and an total fracture discount of 30% in hormone remedy customers.”

“Hormone remedy prevents bone loss, which might result in osteoporosis and a rise within the threat of fractures, which might have a major influence on high quality of life,” she added.

“One facet that I discover significantly fascinating is the consistency of the affiliation throughout a number of measures of skeletal well being,” Espinoza-Peralta advised MNT. “Girls receiving MHT not solely had decrease prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis but in addition demonstrated considerably greater steady T-scores at each the lumbar backbone and whole hip.”

And this is just one potential advantage of MHT, as Devera defined:

“Along with lowering the chance of osteoporosis, one other main advantage of MHT is aid of menopause signs. Menopause generally is a difficult time for a lot of ladies because of the huge array of physiologic[al] adjustments. These embrace scorching flashes, mind fog, insomnia, irritability, anxiousness, and physique aches to call a number of. These adjustments can typically be disruptive to a lady’s well-being; thus, MHT provides an efficient therapy possibility.”

Nonetheless, she highlighted that there have been some dangers, which individuals ought to contemplate earlier than deciding whether or not to go for MHT:

“Estradiol prompts the uterine lining; thus, uterine most cancers is a common threat of estradiol therapy in ladies who’ve their uterus. Sure sufferers can also be at greater threat for coronary heart assault, stroke, and breast most cancers. These dangers can differ relying on a affected person’s medical historical past and age.”

She suggested: “The choice to begin MHT must be individualized. Though MHT provides many advantages, it’s not a secure therapy possibility for each girl. Additionally, every girl ought to have a transparent thought of what her therapy objectives are. This can permit her and her doctor to make your best option transferring ahead.”

And Espinoza-Peralta cautioned: “As a result of this was an observational research, the findings needs to be interpreted as an affiliation relatively than proof of causality.”

“However,” he added, “they help the idea that MHT might signify an necessary and probably underutilized technique for preserving bone well being in appropriately chosen postmenopausal ladies.”