Early Menopause & Osteoporosis

I’m a little cross-eyed from reading studies and research articles, so today we’ll touch on something more personal and less statistic-driven. Though, you know there will be a few stats to accompany today’s topic.

I went into menopause at age 44. I was baffled. As a personal trainer and health-nut most of my adult-life, early menopause made no sense.

A cervical spinal injury in the gym one day created confusion at a time I needed clarity. My doctors and I were so focused on the symptoms from the neck injury that no one narrowed in on early menopause.

Which is ironic, since most of my health complaints since my 30’s were typically met by doctors with, “It’s just menopause.”

So, when I needed someone to say, “It’s actually menopause and it’s happening too soon,” no one did.

Which shouldn’t be a problem, except knowing what we know now about the importance of those first 10 years after menopause for your bone health, a heads-up would’ve been nice.

Because 10 years puts me at…. today! And my new diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis and early menopause (here come the stats)

According to the Office on Women’s Health:

“Menopause that happens before age 40 is called premature menopause (which is also medically called primary ovarian insufficiency [POI]). Menopause that happens between 40 and 45 is called early menopause. About 5% of women naturally go through early menopause.” 1

Personally, I wondered if the early menopause was due to the spinal injury and my body needing to redirect resources. Unfortunately, no one told me the 10-year window regarding bone health.

The Office on Women’s Health knows it:

“But some women with early or premature menopause may also have higher risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease and osteoporosis, since women will live longer without the health benefits of higher estrogen levels.”

Osteoporosis and cardiovascular changes aren’t the only effects of early menopause and lowered estrogen. Estrogen may also mask the symptoms of autoimmune conditions. Once estrogen lowers, symptoms rise.

According to the Autoimmune Association:

“Many people are aware that this transitional period can result in symptoms like fatigue and abrupt mood changes. Still, they may be unaware of the correlation between hormones and autoimmune diseases. For example, when estrogen drops during perimenopause, it can cause autoimmune disease symptoms to worsen because estrogen is an immune modulator that the body is used to using as both a pro- and an anti-inflammatory.” 2

This can make both diagnosis and management of menopause and autoimmune challenging. The Autoimmune Association continues:

“One of the most difficult aspects of autoimmune disease, perimenopause, and menopause is symptom overlap, meaning many hallmark symptoms of perimenopause and menopause mirror those of autoimmune conditions. Some examples include:

Brain fog
Fatigue
Joint pain
Mood changes
Sleep disturbances

This overlap can make it difficult to determine what’s driving symptoms at any given time, creating diagnostic challenges. While looking for a diagnosis to explain their symptoms, some patients are told that new or worsening symptoms are “just menopause,” when in reality, they may be the result of an autoimmune flare, delaying appropriate treatment and leaving patients feeling dismissed or misunderstood.”

And if you’re dealing with an autoimmune condition like lichen sclerosus, the shared symptoms between menopause and LS can further cloud the diagnosis and management.

Chronic inflammation is a primary driver of autoimmune disease… and osteoporosis. 3

If you are managing an autoimmune condition it’s important to stay on top of your bone health as well. Keeping inflammation in check is an important step in both.

And if you find yourself in early menopause, make a 10-year plan and focus on all aspects of your health, including bone health!

Much love,

Stephanie

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