6 Things to Do Now to Keep Your Bones Strong in the Future

As we age, our body is constantly absorbing and replacing bone tissue. If the rate of bone being broken down is higher than bone being formed, it can lead to bone loss.

Bone loss is more likely to occur in older women and especially during menopause, likely due to a decrease in estrogen levels. Bone loss can lead to the weakening of bones, also known as osteoporosis, which can lead to an increased risk of hip fractures if a fall occurs. Around age 51, the average age of menopause in North America, bone loss—a decrease in total bone mass—can speed up.

Bone Loss in the U.S. by the Numbers

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, about 8 million, or 80 percent, are women. Then, after 10 years of menopause, bone loss tends to slow down. “It continues, but not to the degree of the early menopausal years,” says Stephen Honig, M.D., the director of the NYU Langone Osteoporosis Center.