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How does menopause increase the risk of osteoporosis?

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bone disease Defect of tibia, caused by septic osteomyelitis in childhood, with compensatory thickening of the fibula (right). Normal bones are shown at left.

Menopause increases the risk of osteoporosis primarily due to a significant decline in the production of estrogen and other sex hormones.12

While bone density naturally begins to decrease after reaching its peak around age 30, women experience a period of accelerated bone loss during and for several years following menopause. Estrogen plays a critical role in bone health by suppressing bone resorption—the process by which bone is broken down. When estrogen levels drop, this protective effect is diminished, leading to an imbalance where bone resorption exceeds new bone formation.1342

This accelerated loss of bone mass makes the skeletal structure more porous and fragile, significantly increasing the susceptibility to fractures from minor stresses. To mitigate this risk, health professionals often emphasize the importance of calcium and vitamin D intake, regular weight-bearing exercise, and, in some cases, medical interventions to help stabilize bone mass.12