- People going through menopause often experience a range of symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood changes, brain fog, and osteoporosis.
- Hormone therapy can help alleviate these symptoms, but some people are reluctant to take it because past studies have suggested it may increase the risk of endometrial, breast, and ovarian cancer.
- Now, a study has added to the evidence that hormone therapy can improve bone density, helping to prevent bone fractures.
- The researchers found that women taking menopausal hormone therapy had a 69% lower risk of low bone mineral density than those not using hormone replacement.
Some people sail through menopause, the end of a woman’s reproductive years, with the cessation of menstrual periods being the only sign that it has happened. For others, the years leading up to and following menopause are a time of hot flashes, disturbed nights, urinary problems, thinning hair, mood changes, brain fog, and a loss of bone density, which can lead to osteoporosis.
Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) can help to alleviate these symptoms, but it is not suitable for everyone going through the menopause.
Now, a small study being presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, is adding to the evidence that menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) can help prevent bone density loss that often leads to fractures.
In their study, researchers found that women on MHT were 69% less likely to have low bone mineral density than women who were not on the treatment.
“We’ve known that bone protection is a benefit of menopause hormone treatment and this study supports that long-held belief.”
— Ruthann Devera, M.D., OBGYN at MemorialCare Medical Group, Long Beach, California, who was not involved in the study
The findings of the study are yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Team Health Accessible
Health & Wellness Editorial Team
HealthAccessible editorial team delivers trusted, accessible, and evidence-based health information for everyone.
