{"id":58055,"date":"2025-09-11T20:36:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T20:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/58055\/"},"modified":"2025-09-11T20:36:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T20:36:11","slug":"can-testosterone-protect-womens-bones-after-menopause-study-reveals-surprising-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/58055\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Testosterone Protect Women\u2019s Bones After Menopause? Study Reveals Surprising Results"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s sadly no secret that menopause wreaks havoc<\/a> on your bones and joints. An estimated 20 percent of bone loss<\/a> can happen during the menopause transition and beyond, dramatically increasing your risk of fractures. And while hormone therapy (HT)<\/a> with estrogen and progesterone is currently the best defense against bone loss<\/a>, a recent study<\/a> published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons suggests that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) could have some surprising bone-supporting benefits for older women. <\/p>\n

The researchers looked at the Mariner165 Database, which collected info from a million men and women between the ages of 35 to 75 over the course of 11 years. The goal: to see if people taking TRT for at least three months were less likely to have a hip fracture. Why the focus on hip fractures, you ask? They\u2019re a common, expensive,<\/a> and deadly<\/a> injury for older adults. (And per the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation<\/a>, a woman\u2019s risk of breaking a hip is equivalent to her combined risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer.)<\/p>\n

The study authors found that those who were prescribed TRT were nearly two times less likely to get a hip fracture compared to those who were not. This benefit was seen in both men and women, particularly for men over 46 and women over 56. <\/p>\n

Before you go running off to your doctor\u2019s office for a prescription, note that there are some limitations to these findings. We don\u2019t know what types or doses of TRT the researchers were controlling for (just that it\u2019s exogenous, which can include topicals, patches, shots, gels, pills, etc.), and the study was done retroactively, meaning there\u2019s no definite proof of testosterone causing better bone strength. (Plus, TRT as it exists today is not approved by the FDA for women, nor is it typically covered by insurance<\/a>.) <\/p>\n

But the findings add to the existing<\/a>\u2014and growing\u2014body of studies that say testosterone<\/a> could help.<\/strong> \u201cWe know from the basic science of testosterone that it can enhance the bone-building effects of estrogen\u2014it plays an additive role,\u201d says Vonda Wright, MD<\/a>, an orthopedic surgeon and author of Unbreakable<\/a>. (Wright was not involved with the study.) \u201cBut right now, testosterone alone is not a sole modality for building bone.\u201d<\/p>\n

While TRT probably won\u2019t replace HT anytime soon, it could someday offer your skeleton some much-needed backup\u2014and that\u2019s worth further study. The midlife women of the world, now and in the future, deserve more treatment options. <\/p>\n

Member Exclusive: Explore “The Life You Want Class” Library\"Chevron\"Chevron\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Sofia Lodato (she\/her) is the editorial assistant at Oprah Daily. Aside from reading, writing, and wellness, she is a lover of all things media-related, and can usually be found overanalyzing her latest favorite show, album, or video game.
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