No overuse in the gym.

No trauma.

Just age.

As I transition into my 60s, I occasionally notice small unpleasant elements.

You may relate: It seems that injuries happen more frequently.

I do not have my historical muscle strength.

A new study provides some insights, revealing what may be behind my physical decline.

The 40s

In my mid-40s, I noticed aging signs.

It wasn’t gradual; I suddenly realized I was in my 40s.

It seemed that I had rapidly aged.

As I transition into my 60s, I am noticing the same phenomenon.

Or was it just my imagination?

Stanford researchers recently provided some answers.

Molecular and Microorganism Changes at 44 and 60

Was I wrong in my perception that I had experienced a moment of rapid aging?

A new Stanford University (USA) study tracked thousands of molecule types in adults aged 25 to 75.

The researchers analyzed blood (and other biological samples) from 108 subjects.

Here is the main takeaway message:

People tend to have two dramatic aging leaps — the first at around 44 and the second at approximately 60.

Aging appears to happen in bursts.

These changes appeared no matter what type of molecules the researchers analyzed.

Chasing Squirrels: Punctuated Equilibrium

My nurse sometimes protects me from getting distracted from the task at hand.

Chasing squirrels, Melissa likes to opine.

Well, I am about to chase a squirrel.

What comes to mind is punctuated equilibrium.

This evolutionary biology theory describes evolution as a series of short, rapid times of change interrupted by prolonged periods of stability.

My Harvard professor, the late Stephen Jay Gould, joined Niles Eldridge to develop this theory of how new species emerge and diversify.

They based their view on fossil record patterns developed by paleontologists.

Changes in the 40s

For those in their 40s, the Stanford researchers discovered significant changes in molecules related to:

• alcohol
• caffeine
• cardiovascular disease
• lipid metabolism
• muscle
• skin

Can’t resist sharing this:

“Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.” — David Bowie.

Could Menopause Be Playing A Role?

My first thought?

The mid-40s aging acceleration among women might be secondary to perimenopausal (the transitional period before menopause) changes.

The researchers thought menopause might be playing a role until the scientists realized that men in their 40s had similar molecular alterations.

Changes in the 60s

For individuals in their 60s, molecular alterations appeared related to:

• caffeine metabolism
• carbohydrate metabolism
• cardiovascular disease
• kidney function
• immune regulation
• muscle
• skin

The Researchers Speculate

The scientists wonder if lifestyle influences the alterations in the 40s and 60s.

For example, folks might consume more alcohol in their 40s, a time of higher stress for many.

Anecdotally, I don’t find alcohol consumption to be higher among my patients in the 40 to 50 age group.

Summary

In conclusion, the rapid changes in our bodies during our 40s and 60s are associated with molecular alterations, affecting various aspects of our health and well-being.

Understanding these changes may help you focus on optimizing your lifestyle, including factors like sleep, diet, physical activity, and relationships.

Actionable Takeaways

The bursts of aging in the 40s and 60s remind this 61-year-old to stay focused on optimizing lifestyle.

I pay attention to:

• Sleep
• Diet
• Physical activity
• Relationships
• Minimizing alcohol
• Not smoking
• Sex

My perception of a sudden onset of age-related disorders (including more muscle achiness after working out) seems grounded in reality: We may experience a sudden onset of age-related changes in our bodies.

We don’t understand the full consequences of these molecular changes, but I now better understand my challenges in gaining lots of muscle.

Could it be that the origin of many diseases — that emerge later in life — is related to molecular changes in our 40s?

What has been your experience?

The post Your Body Ages in Leaps: Stanford’s Surprising Findings at Ages 44 and 60 appeared first on Medika Life.

Everyone wants to feel fantastic all of the time! But as we age, our bodies sometimes work against us. The natural decrease in hormone levels, like testosterone, can lead to some distressing symptoms. Boosting testosterone is not for men only. Some women benefit from restoring this hormone level to normal.

Female patients often ask Obgyn providers about testosterone therapy. People struggling with fatigue, weight challenges, anxiety, sleep problems, and low sex drive discover by searching the Google Machine that testosterone supplementation may be a potential tool to help improve their lives.

Testosterone supplementation can help women with low testosterone levels to improve their energy levels, lose weight, and increase their libido. Getting testosterone levels back to normal may also improve their cognitive function, reduce brain fog and improve mental clarity.

WHAT IS TESTOSTERONE?

Testosterone, a hormone primarily produced in men’s testicles and women’s ovaries, is crucial in maintaining bone density, muscle mass, and sex drive. Testosterone levels naturally fall as we age. During the Perimenopause and menopause years, symptoms of low testosterone arise, causing distressing or problematic symptoms.

BENEFITS OF TESTOSTERONE SUPPLEMENTATION

1. Increased sexual desire: Testosterone plays a vital role in women’s sexual health, and low levels of this hormone can cause a decrease in libido. Testosterone supplementation can increase sexual desire and improve sexual function in women.
2. Improved bone density: Testosterone helps maintain bone density, and low levels of this hormone can lead to osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak and brittle. Testosterone supplementation can help improve bone density and reduce the risk of fractures.
3. Increased muscle mass and strength: Testosterone is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass; low levels of this hormone can lead to muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass. Testosterone supplementation can increase muscle mass and strength in women.
4. Improved mood and energy levels: Testosterone plays a role in regulating mood and energy levels, and low levels of this hormone can lead to fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Testosterone supplementation can help improve mood and increase energy levels in women.
5. Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease: Testosterone protects against cardiovascular disease. Low levels of this hormone may increase the risk of heart disease.

HOW DO WOMEN USE TESTOSTERONE?

Various forms of Testosterone supplements are available. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach, so personal preference is important.

1. Injections: Testosterone can be injected directly into the muscle tissue or under the skin.
2. Patches: Transdermal patches containing testosterone can be applied to the skin and worn for a specific time.
3. Gels: Testosterone gel can be applied to the skin and absorbed into the bloodstream. I prefer this topical method as it gives the patient control over when she uses it, and she can stop the treatment quickly if she is not satisfied with the results.
4. Pellets: Testosterone pellets can be implanted under the skin and release a steady dose of testosterone over time.

RISKS OF TESTOSTERONE THERAPY

While testosterone supplementation can offer some benefits, it can pose risks if misused. Testosterone use should be prescribed and monitored by a qualified medical professional. The goal is to use the lowest dose that helps improve symptoms.

Using inappropriate or too high a dose can cause side effects, such as acne, hair loss, and increased body hair growth. Overtreatment can also lead to voice deepening, clitoral enlargement, and breast reduction in some women.

Testosterone supplementation can also increase the risk of developing blood clots, stroke, and heart disease, especially in women with a history of these conditions. It can also affect cholesterol levels, leading to an increase in bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.

Pregnant or breastfeeding people should not use testosterone supplementation as it can harm the baby’s development. It is also important to note that testosterone supplementation can interact with other medications, such as blood thinners and diabetes medication, so women should always consult their healthcare provider before starting this treatment.

Testosterone supplementation can benefit women with low testosterone levels and experiencing symptoms such as low energy, weight gain, and decreased libido. However, before starting this treatment, weighing the potential risks against the benefits is essential.

Women and men should always consult their healthcare providers before starting testosterone supplementation. Regular medical monitoring is essential to address any potential side effects or complications.

The post Testosterone therapy: Does it Work for Women? appeared first on Medika Life.

Hot flashes are the most prevalent menopause symptom and are feelings of intense warmth plus sweating, flushing, and chills. Sweating is typically in the face, neck, and chest. Hot flashes typically last approximately one to five minutes, with some lasting as long as an hour.

Hot flashes are common — upwards of 80 percent of menopausal women in the United States experience them. The hot flashes typically begin shortly before menopause, although for some, they start after menopause. The flashes are usually due to menopause; less commonly, hot flashes occur because of a medical condition such as carcinoid syndrome.

Today, I would like to explore some information about hot flashes, including a 12-week clinical trial that examined a plant-rich diet’s effectiveness in fighting hot flashes.

Hot flash risk factors

Hot flashes (sometimes referred to as vasomotor symptoms) are the most common complaint during the menopausal transition. As many as four in five women experience them.

Many women volunteer that symptoms increase during the transition to menopause. Approximately 40 percent will experience hot flashes in the early transition, but up to 80 percent report having them by late menopausal transition and early postmenopause.

Frequency varies by culture and ethnicity. For example, African American women report more hot flashes than white women, and Japanese and Chinese women report fewer. While many describe the hot flash problem as severe, only about one in four see medical attention.

Here are some other risk factors for hot flashes:

• Obesity. Postmenopausal women who are obese have higher blood levels of estrogen (estrone) than thinner women. In women with a higher weight, fat cells have more conversion of testosterone (androstenedione). Paradoxically, this higher blood level of estrogen is associated with hot flashes. Weight loss can improve hot flashes.

An intensive behavioral weight loss intervention and hot flushes in women – PubMed

Among women who were overweight or obese and had bothersome hot flushes, an intensive behavioral weight loss…

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

• Cigarette smoking. There are numerous reasons why women who smoke should kick the habit, but here’s one more: Women who smoke have more hot flashes as they transition through menopause. This connection is especially true for women who carry certain gene variations linked to estrogen metabolism and susceptibility to environmental toxins.
• Reduced physical activity.
• Hormonal concentrations. The prevalence and frequency of hot flashes are associated with blood levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
• Socioeconomic factors. Those with less than a high school education and those with difficulty paying for basics have a higher frequency of hot flashes.

Hot flash duration

Many women assume that vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes will last only a year or two. Unfortunately, such problems tend to last longer. The best estimate of hot flash duration is from the Study of Women across the Nation (SWAN).

Here are the numbers:

• The median duration of vasomotor symptoms (such as hot flashes) was 7.4 years, lasting 4.5 years after the last menstrual period.
• Women who were premenopausal or early perimenopausal when they first experienced vasomotor symptoms (such as hot flashes) had the longest total duration (more than 11.8 years after the final menstrual period median duration of 9.4 years).
• African American women had the longest vasomotor symptom duration (10.1 years), while Chinese and Hispanic women had the shortest (five years).

The Penn Ovarian Aging Study showed an average moderate/severe hot flash duration of about five years. Still, one-third continued to have moderate or severe hot flashes for ten years after the final menstrual period.

You may be surprised that nine percent of women still have hot flashes at 72.

Hot flash physiology

Widening of blood vessels in the skin, or peripheral vasodilation, manifests as high blood flow and temperature during a hot flash. These skin temperature elevations occur in the face, arms, chest, abdomen, back, legs, and digits.

With a hot flash, core body temperature usually elevates before the event. Sweating and skin conductance rise, with measurable sweating associated with approximately nine out of ten hot flashes.

As metabolic rate occurs during a vasomotor event, there is a small rise in heart rate, about seven to 15 beats per minute.

Why do hot flashes occur? Did you name estrogen as the culprit? Perhaps you are aware that estrogen therapy virtually eliminates hot flashes. And that women who undergo menopause (when hormones such as estrogen decline significantly) usually experience hot flashes.

But estrogen drops alone don’t explain hot flashes, as we see no relationship between blood, urinary, or vaginal levels of the hormone and hot flashes. Moreover, there are no differences in plasma levels between women who experience hot flashes and those who do not.

We need to turn to the hypothalamus, our master gland, to understand the phenomenon of hot flashes better. The hypothalamus perches deep in your brain and is our smart control coordinating center. Its main job is to keep a body in a stable state, or homeostasis.

Your hypothalamus helps to regulate your:

• Temperature
• Thirst and hunger
• Blood pressure
• Mood
• Sense of fullness when eating
• Sex drive
• Sleep

How does the hypothalamus do its job? It directly influences our autonomic nervous system and regulates hormones.

Hot flashes are mediated by temperature regulation (thermoregulatory) dysfunction in the hypothalamus, a state induced by estrogen withdrawal. For women with hot flashes, the so-called thermoneutral zone is narrowed.

While premenopausal women initiate mechanisms to get rid of heat when the core body temperature rises by 0.4°C, this initiation occurs with a much lower increase in temperature in menopausal women.

The warmth sensation occurs because of the inappropriate widening of blood vessels close to the skin. With sweat comes rapid heat loss, and the body’s core temperature drops below normal. Many women then experience shivering as the body tries to restore its core temperature to normal.

Adult estrogen levels, followed by withdrawal, are required for hot flashes. Prepubertal girls have very low estrogen levels but don’t get hot flashes. Low estrogen alone is not sufficient to have hot flashes.

Hot flashes: Fighting back with a plant-rich diet

A recently reported study shows that diet changes can be remarkably powerful for treating hot flashes. Here are the key findings:

A plant-rich diet dropped moderate to severe hot flashes by 84 percent (from nearly five each day to fewer than one daily). The diet may have contributed to helping women lose eight pounds (on average) and improving their quality of life.

A remarkable three out of five women became free of moderate-to-severe hot flashes with a plant-rich diet. If one includes mild hot flashes, the hot flash frequency diminishes by 79 percent. The control group experienced no improvements.

Many subjects in the diet intervention group also reported improvements in mood, sexual symptoms, and overall energy.

The WAVS trial — the Women’s Study for the Alleviation of Vasomotor Symptoms study–shows that diet has much greater efficacy in treating hot flashes and night sweats than scientists had previously thought.

Rather than using hormone medications, researchers tested a combination of a low-fat plant-based diet plus one-half cup of ordinary soybeans added to a salad or soup daily. Let’s get to the details.

Hot flash study details

Researchers randomly assigned postmenopausal women experiencing at least two hot flashes daily to one of two groups:

• Low-fat, vegan diet (including half a cup of cooked soybeans daily)
• Control group (no dietary changes for 12 weeks).

The women recorded the frequency and severity of their hot flashes using a mobile application. They also completed the Menopause Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL) to evaluate physical, psychosocial, and sexual symptoms.

Participants also used a study-provided digital self-calibrating scale to track body weight during the day. The intervention group members also received an Instant Pot to prepare soybeans at home. Finally, the group gathered with the research team weekly via Zoom.

Hot flashes and diet — My take

Historically, nothing (other than estrogen) has done as much as this diet intervention for hot flash reduction. I hope we see larger trials to confirm the results and better understand soy’s contribution to reducing hot flashes.

The study has some limitations, including its cohort study design. I prefer to see a double-blind study to prove causality. The study’s small sample size indicates the possibility of a placebo effect. Still, a healthy diet generally helps us to feel better and reduce our risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Finally, several of the study’s authors got compensation from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine for their contributions.

Diet — Getting started.

Do you want to improve your diet? Or knock down hot flashes? Here are three steps you can take:

1. Embrace a vegan diet. Incorporate whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and legumes such as beans, lentils, and peas.
2. Limit high-fat foods. If you consume packaged foods, keep the fat to less than three grams per serving.
3. Consume one-half cup of cooked soybeans daily. You can prepare dry soybeans with a pressure cooker or on the stove. Or consider buying already cooked soybeans in a can. Prepare them in the pressure cooker and roast them, baking them on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 350 F for an hour or until dry and nicely browned. You now have a snack, salad topper, or soup additive.

For those opting for a vegan diet, please consider vitamin B12 supplements. And don’t forget to track your weight, hot flash frequency, and hot flash severity.

Thank you for joining me to look at hot flashes and diet.

The Vegan Diet – A Complete Guide for Beginners

The vegan diet has become very popular. More and more people have decided to go vegan for ethical, environmental, or…

www.healthline.com.

The post Got Hot Flashes? You Might Want to Try This Diet appeared first on Medika Life.

Many of the most common side effects, such as hot flashes and night sweats, for example, are caused by hormonal fluctuations and thus appear primarily during perimenopause; these symptoms usually decrease and eventually disappear at some point after a woman reaches menopause (defined as the absence of menses for more than one year). However, some of the symptoms caused by lower levels of estrogen and progesterone may continue.

One of these longer-term side effects may be menopause-related weight gain.

Some studies suggest that weight gain during menopause is due primarily to the normal aging process rather than the menopausal transition specifically, and many women do not gain weight at all. But menopause does cause a number of physiological changes that can affect weight, including increased fat mass (total body fat and especially visceral fat), decreased muscle mass, and reduced energy expenditure (up to an 8% decrease in resting metabolic rate).

These changes in body composition and metabolism can represent an unwelcome new reality for some women who never before had a tendency to gain excess weight. And for those already struggling with their weight, especially women with obesity, these additional challenges can further increase the risk of weight-associated health conditions.

Hormone- and weight-related physiological changes

Menopause leads to a decrease in the body’s production of both estrogen and progesterone. While the loss of progesterone affects weight partially through increased water retention, the decrease in estrogen levels has more widespread and lasting effects. For example, loss of estrogen can weaken the brain’s “fullness” signals, increase susceptibility to binge eating and reduce energy expenditure (calories burned both at rest and during activity).

“Normal” hormone-related metabolic slowing during menopause is sometimes compounded by the presence of subclinical hypothyroidism, which also decreases energy expenditure. Estrogen and thyroid hormones interact and affect each other in a variety of ways, and subclinical hypothyroidism often remains undiagnosed because many of the symptoms (such as fatigue, sleep disturbances and mood swings, for instance) are instead attributed to the menopausal transition. One study found subclinical hypothyroidism to be present in 18% of perimenopausal women. According to my endocrinologist colleague, Dr. Leon I. Igel, “Immediate treatment might not be warranted, but thyroid levels should be monitored closely, as subclinical hypothyroidism may be a precursor to overt hypothyroidism.”

Menopause-related hormonal changes are also associated with insulin resistance, which leads to higher levels of blood sugar and increased fat storage. This creates something of a vicious circle, as visceral fat promotes further insulin resistance — which in turn raises the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, two of the most widespread and serious weight-related health issues.

Treatment options

So how do we treat menopause-related weight gain? Perhaps counterintuitively, hormone replacement therapy, one of the most common treatments for many menopause symptoms, has not been shown to affect weight significantly (causing neither gain nor loss). We do have other options, however, and weight gain is not inevitable.

Diet and physical activity are bedrock components of any weight management program, but to overcome the body’s resistance to weight loss — particularly when it comes to treating people with obesity — these lifestyle elements must be part of a comprehensive approach. This means not only providing ongoing support and assistance to foster sustainable lifestyle change, but considering the full range of underlying factors and potential treatment tactics, including medical interventions.

Insulin resistance can be counteracted with a wide variety of eating plans; low-carb and Mediterranean diets, for example, have proven effective. The most important strategy is to find a way of eating that is sustainable, so it becomes part of a long-term healthy lifestyle change rather than a temporary measure that will be abandoned at the first sign of difficulty. This means the food must be both tasty and satisfying, and the plan can’t feel too restrictive or rigid.

Physical activity also helps reduce insulin resistance and support weight loss. The ideal activity plan combines aerobic exercise, which burns calories and improves cardiovascular health, with resistance training, which builds muscle and reduces fat. Again, sustainability is key: physical activity should be enjoyable and fit in with the individual’s lifestyle and schedule constraints — it doesn’t necessarily need to involve traditional “exercise” or going to the gym.

Women whose weight doesn’t respond to changes in diet and physical activity and who have a BMI over 30 kg/m² or over 27 kg/m² with comorbidities may benefit from anti-obesity pharmacotherapy. On- or off-label medications — such as metformin, liraglutide, phentermine/topiramate, naltrexone/bupropion, and semaglutide — can help counteract the effects of insulin resistance. As an adjunct to lifestyle modifications, these medications can help surmount some of the hormonal, metabolic and neurobehavioral mechanisms (manifested as plateauing or the development of cravings, for example) the body has evolved to prevent weight loss.

________

This important contribution by Medika author Dr. Saunders was co-authored by Leon I. Igel, MD, FACP, FTOS, DABOM. Dr. Igel is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, and an Attending Endocrinologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. He is Director of the West Side division of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center, as well as the former Program Director for Weill Cornell’s Obesity Medicine and Obesity Medicine/Bariatric Endoscopy fellowships. Dr. Igel is board certified in Internal Medicine, Obesity Medicine, and Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism.

The post Managing Menopause-Related Weight Gain appeared first on Medika Life.

There are many conditions that can cause vaginal pain during intercourse; one is vaginal atrophy. This condition often stops women from taking part in lovemaking, let alone enjoying it. The worry is that penetration will hurt them, and with that worry, their sex drive falls flat on the floor. Although the condition can affect women of any age, it is mainly after menopause sets in it is experienced.

Vaginal atrophy can seriously affect relationships, and yet very few women talk about their experiences. Some are embarrassed, while others don’t know where to go for help, accepting that it is a part of life and that nothing can be done about it¹. But atrophy is a serious condition as if it goes untreated; it can cause the vaginal walls to close up. Regular intercourse is necessary for healthy vaginal walls, though it isn’t a guarantee that regular lovemaking will stop vaginal atrophy.

What is vaginal atrophy?

Vaginal atrophy is when estrogen levels decrease, and the vaginal tissue becomes thinner, drier, not as elastic, and more fragile. The symptoms of vaginal atrophy includes²:

• Vaginal dryness
• Vaginal burning
• Vaginal discharge
• Vaginal inflammation
• Genital itching
• Light bleeding after intercourse
• Discomfort with intercourse
• Shortening and tightening of the vaginal canal

Vaginal atrophy is not only uncomfortable and painful, but it can cause urinary issues too, such as:

• Burning with urination
• Urgency with urination
• Frequent urination

One woman’s experience

Today, a client told me she had experienced penetration, feeling like sandpaper being rubbed on the inside of her vagina with some bleeding following intercourse. I asked what had made her carry on making love rather than stopping; after all, there are many other ways to be intimate. Her response saddened me greatly. She said:

“I love my partner, and I love making love with him. I want to hold on to our love life; I don’t want him to think I’m broken.”

She had experienced this pain increased over the past few months and hadn’t known what to do or where to go for help. I’m glad she came to see me.

Take action, don’t suffer

This is a condition that no woman needs to suffer with. However, there are a few things that can be done to help ease vaginal atrophy, returning the enjoyment of lovemaking to the relationship:

• A menopause specialist will help with all the specific symptoms you have. They are usually able to prescribe vaginal lubricants with estrogen and advice you on how to use them. I have only heard positive feedback from women who have sought their advice.
• Over the counter, vaginal lubricants can help. They are available at a chemist or online; I noticed vaginal lubricants being available even on Amazon. The ones I recommend to my clients are either YES or Sylk. If you contact either via their online chat facility, they might offer you some free samples so you can try them before you buy.
• Your doctor will also be able to help, and some general practitioners have a menopause-trained nurse attached to the clinic. It’s worth asking.

It is worth taking a look at the menopause NICE Guidelines to gain insight into what you should expect from the care you are seeking. The NICE Guidelines were developed in 2015 while menopause training became available for nurses in the UK.

If you or your partner is suffering from vaginal atrophy, seek the available help. Your relationship need not be without intimacy, and you should be able to enjoy it as much as you ever have.

Making love as we get older

As we get older, we need to take it easy, slow lovemaking down and enjoy more touching, stroking, kissing of bodies, and holding³. Many couples of a certain age coming to psychosexual therapy have spent years rushing through the act of lovemaking resulting in one or both losing interest. That might be all we have time for when our children are young, and we are working at succeeding in our careers, but with age, our bodies tend to respond differently. We are no longer able to get the rush of excitement we used to.

Taking our time to be intimate together will give our bodies a chance to catch up with what we are doing. The added extra is that it becomes much more enjoyable too. Towards the end of psychosexual therapy, couples in this age group often report that they enjoy touching so much the intercourse is simply a plus rather than the aim.

Having an enjoyable sex life into very old age is the spice of life and will keep us truly alive for longer. Don’t let vaginal atrophy stop you from getting close, seek the help available, and magic can become a reality.

References and further reading

¹Vaginal Atrophy

²Vulvovaginal Atrophy

³Better Sex as You Age

The post Here is a Solution to Painful Sex appeared first on Medika Life.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones. People with osteoporosis have bones that are weak and break easily.

Osteoporosis is called a “silent” disease. You may have bone loss for many years without any symptoms until you break a bone. A broken bone can cause severe pain and disability. It can make it harder to do daily tasks on your own, such as walking.

What is bone loss?

Bone loss is the amount of minerals, such as calcium, that your body absorbs (takes) from your bones.

Bone loss can happen for several reasons. Some of the most common reasons include:

• You do not get enough calcium from food. Your body uses calcium to build healthy bones and teeth and stores calcium in your bones. Your body also uses calcium to send messages through your nervous system, help your muscles contract, and regulate your heart’s rhythm. But your body does not make calcium. You have to get all the calcium your body needs from the foods you eat and drink (or from supplements). If you don’t get enough calcium each day, your body will take the calcium it needs from your bones.
• You are past menopause. As you get older, your bones don’t make new bone fast enough to keep up with your body’s needs. The calcium taken from your bones causes you to lose bone density. Bone loss also speeds up after menopause and can lead to weak, brittle bones.

Who gets osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis affects more women than men. Of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, more than 8 million (or 80%) are women.

Women are more likely to get osteoporosis because:

• Women usually have smaller, thinner, less dense bones than men.
• Women often live longer than men. Bone loss happens naturally as we age.
• Women also lose more bone mass after menopause with very low levels of the hormone estrogen. Higher estrogen levels before menopause helps protect bone density.

Osteoporosis is most common in older women. In the United States, osteoporosis affects one in four women 65 or older. But younger women can get osteoporosis. And girls and women of all ages need to take steps to protect their bones.

Are some women more at risk for osteoporosis?

Yes. Your risk for osteoporosis is higher if you:

• Are past menopause. After menopause, your ovaries make very little of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen helps protect bone density. Some women lose up to 25% of bone mass in the first 10 years after menopause.
• Have a small, thin body (weigh less than 127 pounds)
• Have a family history of osteoporosis
• Are Mexican-American or white. One in four Mexican-American women and about one in six white women over 50 years old have osteoporosis Asian-American women also have a higher risk for osteoporosis because they are usually smaller and thinner than other women and therefore may have less bone density.
• Do not get enough calcium and vitamin D. Calcium and vitamin D work together to build and maintain strong bones.
• Do not get enough physical activity. Women of all ages need to get regular weight-bearing physical activity, such as walking, dancing, or playing tennis, to help build and maintain bone density.
• Have not gotten your menstrual period for three months in a row (called amenorrhea). If you have amenorrhea and you are not pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking a medicine that stops your periods, talk to your doctor or nurse. Not getting your period means your ovaries may have stopped making estrogen.
• Have an eating disorder. Eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, can weaken your bones. Anorexia can also lead to amenorrhea.
• Smoke. Women who smoke have lower bone density and often go through menopause earlier than nonsmokers. Studies also suggest that smoking raises your risk for broken bones, and this risk goes up the longer you smoke and the more cigarettes you smoke.
• Have a health problem that raises your risk of getting osteoporosis. These include diabetes, premature ovarian failure, celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, and depression.
• Take certain medicines to treat long-term health problems, such as arthritis, asthma, lupus, or thyroid disease.
• Drink too much alcohol. For women, experts recommend no more than one alcoholic drink a day if you choose to drink alcohol. Long-term, heavy drinking can cause many health problems, including bone loss, heart disease, and stroke.

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

You may not have any symptoms of osteoporosis until you break (fracture) a bone. A fracture can happen in any bone of the body. But fractures are most common in the hip, wrist, and spine (vertebrae). Vertebrae support your body, helping you to stand and sit up. See the picture.

Osteoporosis in the vertebrae can cause serious problems for women. A fracture in this area can happen during day-to-day activities like climbing stairs, lifting objects, or bending forward when you have osteoporosis.

Fractures in the vertebrae can cause it to collapse and bend forward. If this happens, you may get any or all of these symptoms:

• Sloping shoulders
• Curve in the back
• Height loss
• Back pain
• Hunched posture

What causes osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is caused by bone loss. Most often, the reason for bone loss is very low levels of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen plays an important role in building and maintaining your bones.

The most common cause of low estrogen levels is menopause. After menopause, your ovaries make very little estrogen.

Also, your risk for developing osteoporosis is higher if you did not develop strong bones when you were young. Girls develop 90% of bone mass by age 18. If an eating disorder, poor eating, lack of physical activity, or another health problem prevents you from building bone mass early in life, you will have less bone mass to draw on later in life.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?

Your doctor will do a bone density test to see how strong or weak your bones are. A common test is a central dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). A DXA is a special type of x-ray of your bones. This test uses a very low amount of radiation.

Your doctor may also use other screening tools to predict your risk of having low bone density or breaking a bone.

Do I need to be tested for osteoporosis?

Your doctor may suggest a bone density test for osteoporosis if:

• You are 65 or older
• You are younger than 65 and have risk factors for osteoporosis. Bone density testing is recommended for older women whose risk of breaking a bone is the same or greater than that of a 65‑year‑old white woman with no risk factors other than age. Ask your doctor or nurse whether you need a bone density test before age 65.

How can I get free or low-cost osteoporosis screening tests?

Screening for osteoporosis is covered by most insurance plans, including Medicare Part B. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get screenings at no cost to you.

• If you have insurance, check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan.
• If you have Medicare, find out about Medicare coverage for bone density tests.
• If you have Medicaid, the benefits covered are different in each state, but certain benefits must be covered. Check with your state’s Medicaid program to find out what’s covered.
• If you don’t have insurance, you may be able to get a no-cost or low-cost bone density test.

How is osteoporosis treated?

If you have osteoporosis, your doctor may prescribe medicine to prevent more bone loss or build new bone mass. The most common types of medicine to prevent or treat osteoporosis include:

• Bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonates help treat bone loss. They may also help build bone mass.
• Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). SERMs may help slow the rate of bone loss after menopause.
• Denosumab. This injectable drug may help reduce bone loss and improve bone strength if you are past menopause and at higher risk for broken bones from osteoporosis.
• Calcitonin. Calcitonin is a hormone made by your thyroid gland that helps regulate calcium levels in your body and build bone mass. Taking calcitonin can help slow the rate of bone loss.
• Menopausal hormone therapy. Often used to treat menopausal symptoms, menopausal hormone therapy may also help prevent bone loss. The Food and Drug Administration recommends taking menopausal hormone therapy at the lowest dose that works for your menopause symptoms for the shortest time needed.
• Parathyroid hormone or teriparatide. Teriparatide is an injectable form of human parathyroid hormone. It helps the body build up new bone faster than the old bone is broken down.

Your doctor may also suggest getting more calcium, vitamin D, and physical activity.

All medicines have risks. For example, menopausal hormone therapy may raise your risk of a blood clot, heart attack, stroke, breast cancer, or gallbladder disease. Talk to your doctor or nurse about the benefits and risks of all medicines.

How can I prevent osteoporosis?

One of the best ways to prevent weak bones is to work on building strong ones. Building strong bones during childhood and the teen years is important to help prevent osteoporosis later.

As you get older, your bones don’t make new bone fast enough to keep up with the bone loss. And after menopause, bone loss happens even more quickly. But you can take steps to slow the natural bone loss with aging and to prevent your bones from becoming weak and brittle.

• Get enough calcium and vitamin D each day.
• Get active. Choose weight-bearing physical activities like running or dancing to build and strengthen your bones.
• Don’t smoke. Smoking raises your risk for broken bones.
• If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation (for women, this is one drink a day at most). Too much alcohol can harm your bones. Also, too much at one time or mixed with certain medicines can affect your balance and lead to falls.
• Talk to your doctor about whether you need medicine to prevent bone loss.

How does calcium help prevent osteoporosis?

Calcium is found in your bones and teeth. It helps build bones and keep them healthy. Your body also uses calcium to help your blood clot and your muscles contract. If you don’t get enough calcium each day from the foods you eat, your body will take the calcium it needs from your bones, making your bones weak.

You can get calcium through food or calcium supplements.

How much calcium do women need each day?

How much calcium you need depends on your age:

• 9–18 years: 1,300 mg per day
• 19–50 years: 1,000 mg per day
• 51 and older: 1,200 mg per day

Pregnant or nursing women need the same amount of calcium as other women of the same age.

You can get the calcium you need each day from food and/or calcium supplements.

What foods contain calcium?

Calcium is found naturally in some foods:

• Milk
• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, and mustard greens

Calcium is sometimes added to certain foods, such as:

• Breakfast cereals (some have up to 100% of the recommended daily value — or 1,000 milligrams — of calcium in each ¾ cup serving)
• Orange juice
• Tofu
• Soymilk
• Breads and pastas

What if dairy foods make me sick or I don’t like to eat them? How can I get enough calcium?

If you have problems eating foods with dairy or don’t like to eat them, try the following tips to make sure you get enough calcium:

• Try lactose-reduced or lactose-free products, such as milk or yogurt.
• Take a lactose supplement (in pill or liquid form) before eating dairy foods to help you digest them.
• Choose other food sources of calcium. Other good sources of calcium include tofu or orange juice with calcium added, and vegetables such as bok choy, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, and broccoli.
• Ask your doctor or nurse if you need to take calcium supplements.

Should I take a calcium supplement?

The answer depends on how much calcium you need each day and how much calcium you get from the foods you eat.

It’s best to get the calcium your body needs from food. But if you don’t get enough calcium from the foods you eat, you may want to consider taking a calcium supplement.

You can get calcium supplements at the grocery store or drug store. Talk with your doctor or nurse before taking calcium supplements to see which kind is best for you and how much you need to take.

How does vitamin D help prevent osteoporosis?

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. Just eating foods with calcium is not enough. You also need to get enough vitamin D to help your body use the calcium it gets.

Your skin makes vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight. In general, you need 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight to the hands, arms, and face, two to three times a week to make enough vitamin D. The amount of time depends on how sensitive your skin is to light. It also depends on your use of sunscreen, your skin color, the season, the latitude (how far north or south) where you live, and the amount of pollution in the air.

You can also get vitamin D from foods such as milk or from vitamin supplements. The vitamin D you get from food or supplements is measured in international units (IU).

How much vitamin D do women need each day?

How much vitamin D you need each day depends on your age:

• Women up to age 70: 600 international units (IU)
• Women 71 and older: 800 IU each day

Pregnant and breastfeeding women need the same amount of vitamin D (600 IU) as other women of the same age.

What foods contain vitamin D?

Although it’s hard to get enough vitamin D through food alone, foods with vitamin D include:

• Salmon
• Tuna fish
• Egg yolks

Vitamin D is often added to certain foods, including:

• Breakfast cereals
• Milk
• Orange juice

What types of physical activity help prevent osteoporosis?

Regular physical activity of any type can help slow bone loss, improve muscle strength, and help your balance. But weight-bearing physical activity is especially important to build bone and help prevent bone loss. Weight-bearing physical activity is any activity in which your body works against gravity.

Weight-bearing activities you can try include:

• Dancing
• Gardening
• Lifting weights
• Tennis
• Tai chi
• Yoga
• Running
• Walking

What can happen if osteoporosis is not treated?

Osteoporosis that is not treated can lead to serious bone breaks (fractures), especially in the hip and spine. One in three women is likely to have a fracture caused by osteoporosis in her lifetime.¹⁸

• Hip fractures can cause serious pain and disability and require surgery.
• Spinal fractures can cause you to lose height or get a stooped back. They often cause serious pain and require surgery.

Fractures can happen after minor falls, stumbles, or bumps into furniture. Falls are the leading cause of injuries in older adults over age 65.

Does pregnancy affect bone density?

Maybe. Your unborn baby needs calcium to help his or her bones grow. While in the womb, babies get calcium from what you eat (or the supplements you take). If you don’t get enough calcium from food or supplements, your baby will use the calcium in your bones.

You can lose some bone density during pregnancy, but any bone mass lost is usually restored after childbirth (or after breastfeeding). Also, during pregnancy, you absorb calcium from food and supplements (like prenatal vitamins) better than women who are not pregnant. Your body also makes more of the hormone estrogen, which protects bone.

Does breastfeeding affect bone density?

Yes, women often lose some bone density during breastfeeding. But this loss is temporary. Several studies have shown that when women lose bone mass during breastfeeding, they recover full bone density within six months after breastfeeding stops.

The post Osteoporosis appeared first on Medika Life.

What is menopause?

We define menopause as when the menstrual cycle stops permanently. Ovulation has stopped and one can no longer get pregnant. You have reached menopause only after it has been a full year since your last period. This means you have not had any bleeding, including spotting, for 12 months.

After menopause, the ovaries make very low levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. The low hormone levels trigger menopausal symptoms and can raise your risk for certain health problems. 

What is perimenopause?

Perimenopause means “around menopause.” These years are the menopausal transition time leading up to your last period.

Perimenopause is a long transition to menopause. The ovaries begin working “part-time” before they retire. During this time, the ovarian hormonal production may fluctuate at random, causing menopause symptoms unexpectedly. 

The alterations in estrogen and progesterone disrupt ovulation and trigger irregular periods. Some have longer periods and others shorter. Some may skip a few months. When the cycle comes it may be lighter or heavier than before. Many women also have hot flashes and other menopause symptoms during this transition.

Hot flashes and night sweats are two of the most common and frustrating menopausal symptoms. A hot flash is a sudden sense of intense internal heat sometimes accompanied by sweating, a rapid heartbeat, and facial redness.

When does the transition to menopause usually start?

Perimenopause, the transition to menopause, usually starts in a woman’s mid- to late 40s. On average, women are in perimenopause for four years before their periods stop.

How will I know if I am starting the transition to menopause?

Sometimes it can be hard for you and your doctor to tell whether you are in perimenopause, the transition to menopause:

• Symptoms: Tell your doctor or nurse about any menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes or trouble sleeping.
• Irregular periods: Track your periods. Irregular periods may be your first sign of menopause.
• Hormone levels: One hormone called FSH may be tested to help determine menopausal status. Your doctor may test other hormones levels if your periods stopped at an early age. Most doctors do not routinely check estrogen and progesterone levels without a medical reason because the hormones fluctuate unpredictably making interpretation of the results challenging.

How will menopause affect me?

Each woman experiences menopause differently. Menopausal symptoms may begin suddenly and be very noticeable, or they may be very mild at first. Symptoms may happen most of the time or sporadically. Some women notice changes in many areas. Some menopausal symptoms, such as moodiness, are similar to symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Others may be new to you. For example:

• Your menstrual periods may not come as regularly as before. They also might last longer or be shorter. You might skip some months. Periods might stop for a few months and then start up again.
• Your periods might be heavier or lighter than before.
• You might have hot flashes and problems sleeping.
• You might experience mood swings or be irritable.
• You might experience vaginal dryness causing pain or discomfort during sex.
• You may have less interest in sex. It may take longer for you to get aroused.

Other possible changes are not as noticeable. For example, low estrogen levels cause a reduction in bone density. This can lead to osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become weak and break easily. Decreasing estrogen levels can also raise cholesterol levels increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Many women choose to fight through menopausal symptoms while others choose hormonal supplementation to alleviate bothersome symptoms.

How long does the transition to menopause last?

Perimenopause can last between two and eight years before your menstrual cycles stop completely. For most women, this transition to menopause lasts about four years. Menopause has officially started when it has been twelve months from the last period.

Should I continue using birth control during the transition to menopause?

Yes. You can still get pregnant during perimenopause. While the ovaries are no longer working full-time ovulation can still occur. If the ovaries release an egg then pregnancy may be possible.

It is impossible to know for sure when you will ovulate during this transition. If you don’t want to get pregnant, you should continue to use birth control until one full year after your last period. Talk to your doctor about your contraceptive needs.

You can’t get pregnant after menopause, but anyone who has sex is at potential risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). If you are not in a monogamous relationship in which you and your partner have sex with each other and no one else, protect yourself by using a male condom or dental dam correctly every time you have vaginal, oral, or anal sex. After menopause, you may be more likely to get an STI from sex without a condom. Vaginal dryness can cause small cuts or tears during sex, exposing you to STIs.

When does menopause usually happen?

The average age of menopause in the United States is 52. The range for women is usually between 45 and 58. 

Menopause may happen earlier if you:

• Never had children. Pregnancy, especially more than one pregnancy, may delay menopause.
• Smoke. Studies show smoking can cause you to start menopause up to two years earlier than women who don’t smoke.

Certain health problems can also cause you to start menopause earlier.

Menopause usually happens on its own. However, you may enter menopause earlier than you normally would if you have had chemotherapy or surgery to remove both ovaries. Learn more about early menopause on our early or premature menopause page. 

What happens after menopause?

After menopause, you will no longer be able to get pregnant and you will no longer get a period. If you have any type of vaginal bleeding after menopause, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Vaginal bleeding after menopause is not normal and can indicate a serious health problem.  

You may experience any of the following after menopause:

• Low hormone levels. With menopause, your ovaries make very little of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Because of changing hormone levels, you may develop certain health risks, including osteoporosis, heart disease, and stroke.
• Menopausal symptoms instead of period problems. During menopause, most women trade period problems for menopause symptoms. As one passes through menopause, occasional hot flashes and sleep disturbances may persist.
• Vaginal dryness. Our bodies change as we grow older, but we do not have to age without a fight. Vaginal dryness is a common condition affecting 50–70% of women after menopause. A lack of lubrication is the most common cause of dyspareunia (dis-puh-ROO-nee-uh) or painful intercourse.

The post Menopause, Understanding the Basics appeared first on Medika Life.