Hormone Therapy to Prevent Osteoporosis Risk
There is a great debate over the use of hormone therapy to prevent osteoporosis risk, and that is partly due to the Women’s Health Initiative warning about the increased incidence of breast cancer, stroke, blood clots, and cardiovascular disease from the use of combined estrogen and progestin for menopause treatment.
It is important to point out that progestin is not the same thing as bioidentical progesterone used by hormone replacement therapy (HRT) specialists to treat hormonal imbalance. Natural progesterone does not present the same risks as progestin.
While many women naturally turn to their gynecologists for HRT, that is not always the best choice for a health care practitioner. The hormone specialist who deals with older adults has more insight into changing hormone levels.
| How does hormone therapy help osteoporosis? |
| First of all, you have to realize that many different hormones contribute to bone remodeling and rebuilding throughout our lifetime. Each hormone serves a unique purpose, and finding out which hormone or hormones are deficient enables the HRT doctor to prescribe the appropriate treatment. |
| Is there a reason why bioidentical hormone therapy and osteoporosis prevention is important instead of using synthetic hormones? |
| Yes, the body recognizes bioidentical hormones as the same as the ones naturally produced in the body. No synthesis or conversion process is needed. You also do not see the same risk of side effects as you do with synthetic hormones. |
Choosing the right hormone therapies to prevent osteoporosis requires blood analysis, which the doctors here at Kingsberg Medical order and review before prescribing any treatment protocol.
Why Low HGH Levels Increase the Osteoporosis Risk
Osteoporosis is not a woman-only condition. Men are also at risk of developing this bone-weakening condition. Menopause and andropause are the times in life that we pay attention to the most because that is when changing hormone levels naturally start to affect the bones.
What many people do not realize when they start to think about hormone replacement therapy to prevent osteoporosis is that the problem may actually start much earlier due to changes in human growth hormone levels.
The use of HGH hormone therapy for osteoporosis is important because human growth hormone secretion determines how much insulin growth factor 1 the liver will produce. IGF-1 is the mediator of many of the effects of HGH in the body, and together, these two hormones stimulate the process of cellular regeneration crucial for the supply of new bone cells.
A study on women conducted in Sweden showed that those females who received higher doses of HGH had better bone mineral density seven years after stopping treatment than those who did not undergo HGH hormone therapy to prevent osteoporosis risk.
How to Prevent Osteoporosis by Increasing Growth Hormone Levels
Not to be outdone, men were the subject of another study out of Sweden that showed improved bone mineral density and bone mineral content from HGH therapy.
When we look at human growth hormone therapy and osteoporosis, we find that HGH provides the new bone cells needed during the remodeling process when old bone cells die off and undergo resorption into the body. When bone turnover happens too fast, and not enough new bone cells are available, the bones become brittle and weak.
Since HGH levels begin to decline in one’s early thirties, it is important to check growth hormone levels to avoid any potential risks. If you know the symptoms of HGH deficiency, you can determine if you should contact an HRT specialist to discuss the use of hormone therapy to prevent osteoporosis.
Testosterone, Estrogen, Progesterone, and Osteoporosis – What You Need to Know
Three other hormones are also crucial for the maintenance of strong bones:
- Testosterone
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
The reasons why doctors use testosterone hormone therapy to treat osteoporosis when a person has low testosterone levels include:
- Testosterone provides signals to the hypothalamus that promote growth hormone production in the pituitary gland
- Testosterone undergoes conversion into estrogen which preserves bone density
- Testosterone helps to slow down bone turnover
We know that estrogen hormone therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis helps to maintain proper bone density, and this is also important for men dealing with the effects of andropause. What doctors must look at before prescribing treatment is whether or not the estrogen shortage is due to not enough testosterone available for conversion. If Low T is the issue, this is the hormone level needing correction.
Progesterone is an important hormone to look at because it is the source hormone for the production of testosterone and estrogen. If the body does not have enough progesterone, other hormone levels will suffer, as will their functions.
To learn more about hormone therapy treatment options to prevent osteoporosis and strengthen your bones, please contact Kingsberg Medical for a free consultation.
Brian Leeber
