The hormone estrogen is responsible for regulating the woman's use of calcium from bone, promoting long bone growth, and helping to protect bone. However, the ovaries stop producing estrogen at menopause, hastening the loss of bone. This can lead to a condition called osteoporosis, or brittle bones that can break easily. This can be accomplished by eating foods high in calcium, or by taking supplements. Hormone replacement therapy, or estrogen taken after menopause to replace that which is no longer being made by the ovaries, can also help prevent osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis can lead to hip fractures.
A hip fracture is a break in the femur bone, just below the hip joint or in the upper thigh bone. Over 280,000 hip fractures occur in the United States each year, and most of these fractures occur in women. Women over the age of 65 have a 1 in 5 chance of suffering from hip fracture during their lifetime. Most hip fractures require extensive care, and many result in long-term disability and even death as a result of complications. Exercise strengthens bones and decreases the rate of bone loss.