Hormones

There are two common hormone treatments being used today to help treat osteoporosis:

• Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT)
• Hormon replacement therapy (HRT)

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is approved for the prevention and management of osteoporosis. ERT has been shown to reduce bone loss, increase bone density in both the spine and hip, and reduce the risk of hip and spinal fractures in postmenopausal women. ERT is administered most commonly in the form of a pill or skin patch that delivers a low dose of approximately 0.3 mg daily or a standard dose of approximately 0.625 mg daily and is effective even when started after age 70. When estrogen is taken alone, it can increase a woman's risk of developing cancer of the uterine lining (endometrial cancer).

To eliminate this risk, physicians prescribe the hormone progestin in combination with estrogen (hormone replacement therapy or HRT) for those women who have not had a hysterectomy. ERT/HRT relieves menopause symptoms and has been shown to have beneficial effects on both bone health and cardiovascular health. Side effects may include nausea, bloating, breast tenderness, high blood pressure and blood clots. Some studies indicate a relationship between estrogen use and breast cancer, while other studies indicate no relationship at all. The issue of a relationship between breast cancer and estrogen use is still to be determined.