Osteopenia (Low Bone Density): Symptoms, Natural Treatments, And Prevention For Women (2024)

An osteopenia diagnosis is made when a test is conducted and low bone density is found.

Osteopenia affects both men and women, but they are FOUR times more common in women than in men¹.

A recent study published in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine discovered that osteopenia was found in more than 1 in 4 women between the age of 35 and 50². This means that osteopenia is a silent condition happening inside our bodies but most of us do not realize it until it develops into osteoporosis, where it becomes more dangerous and a step too late.

When your bone mineral density (BMD) falls initially, there are only a few symptoms such as localized bone pain. If the BMD continues falling, it may turn into osteoporosis where the bones are vulnerable to fractures from impact.

Osteopenia Causes For Women

1. Menopause 🔺 (especially for women above 45)

When women reach perimenopause and menopause, their estrogen levels will start to drop. Estrogen promotes bone growth. During this time, women over 40 are at risk of developing osteoporosis.⁵

In fact, our bone mass peaks at 30 and stays stable generally until menopause. Within the first 5 years of menopause, women can lose up to 25% of their bone mass.

This is the key reason why so many women in menopause and postmenopause are at risk of osteoporosis and it’s a pressing healthcare problem.

2. Family History 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Anyone can develop osteopenia, but some people are more likely to develop it than others. If one of your parents had a history of osteopenia, you may be at risk.³

When osteopenia develops into osteoporosis, it can cause recurrent fractures. When your bones become brittle and lose density, they are more likely to break. If your family has a high history of hip fractures, it may be a sign osteopenia runs in your family.⁴

3. Physical Activity 🤼‍♀️ & Diet 🥗

Physical activity stimulates bone growth. If you’re inactive, your bone loss will outpace your bone growth.⁶

Your diet can influence your bone growth. When your body doesn’t have the nutrients it needs to create bones, you may develop osteopenia as bone loss happens over time without replenishment or new bone growth. People with anorexia or those with poor eating habits put themselves at risk.⁷

4. Medication 💊

Certain medications can influence your bone density. If you take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), you may be twice as likely to have a fracture caused by osteoporosis.⁸

Your Treatment Options

Unfortunately, osteopenia cannot be cured or reversed. However, you can explore different treatments to address the symptoms or the underlying cause in cases such as menopause. For women, this is more common than you think.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – Hormone replacement therapy can help manage osteopenia.⁹

HRT through Estrogen supplementation can prevent and treat bone loss caused by menopause.¹⁰ One study found that estrogen supplements prevented fractures by 27%.

But there are known risks to HRT and not everyone is suitable.

For example, HRT has been documented to increase the risks of:

Strokes and blood clots
Breast cancer
Endometrial cancer
Gallstones

They are also not covered under most insurance plans.

Bisphosphonates – Bisphosphonates reduce bone loss. You can take them as a pill weekly or once a month. These medications can cause heartburn or indigestion.¹²

Plus, no one really knows if long-term use of pharmaceutical drugs is safe. We recommend speaking to your primary care doctor if you are concerned.

Dietary supplements – Dietary supplements are alternatives to traditional medications as well as HRT.13 For example, Calcium and Vitamin D supplements work together to strengthen your bones.

There are also phytoestrogens (plant-based estrogen) like turmeric and moringa leaves that exert estrogen-like effects like HRT without the negative side-effects. These options have been used widely for women who want natural alternatives to HRT.

Clinically Studied Supplements For Stronger Bones

1. Turmeric (Curcumin)

The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Curcumin gives turmeric its bright yellow color.

Curcumin plays a role in osteopenia prevention and management.¹⁶ 50 patients with osteoporosis who took curcumin every day saw an improvement in their bone density over six months over the other group of 50 patients who did not.¹⁷

But is long-term use of curcumin safe? Well, researchers also studied daily curcumin supplements with regular exercise, vitamin D, and calcium supplementation.¹⁸ Bone density improved by up to 7% while there were no concerns surrounding side effects and daily curcumin use in this study.¹⁹

2. Probiotics

Probiotics are emerging as a new way of supporting bone health as more researchers find connections between the gut and all major organs in our body.

A study of 5 clinical trials with 497 postmenopausal women saw that probiotic intake was associated with significantly higher bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar or lower spine.²⁰

How long did the studies take to show results?

Probiotics in these studies were taken for 6 months or longer, so they are not a quick fix, but it shows the long-term benefits of probiotic intake. The studies did not report any significant side effects to taking probiotic supplements for time frame.²²

3. Vitamin D

To some degree, vitamin D3 is already in our body. We may need supplements if our levels drop too low.

Without enough vitamin D, our bones won’t be able to use calcium properly. Vitamin D supplements are the most effective when taken with calcium.²³

Vitamin D supplements may reduce vertebrae fractures up to 37% and hip fractures by up to 26%.²⁴

4. Calcium

Calcium and vitamin D go hand-in-hand. Your body needs both to maintain healthy bones. Calcium deficiency is a major risk factor for osteoporosis.²⁵

You begin to have lower calcium levels starting around age 40.²⁶ Taking supplements around may help maintain healthy bones and reduce your chances of experiencing a fracture.

5. Soy Isoflavones

In Asian countries, where soy isoflavones are a common part of the diet, rates of osteoporosis are lower.²⁷

One research study found that this compound increases bone density by about 54%.²⁸

5 Important Things To Look Out For When Buying Bone Health Supplements

✅ Third Party Certification

As supplements can be sold without approval by FDA, reliable supplement manufacturers get third-party certifications to distinguish their products as trustworthy. These certifications verify the ingredients and quantities claimed on the product label, and that the product meets stringent manufacturing and performance standards. Established certifications to look out for include GMP, USP, NSF, Certified Organic, Non-GMO certified, etc.

✅ Supplement Absorption

Supplements that can’t be absorbed by the body are essentially ineffective. Unfortunately, most people aren’t aware of this, allowing manufacturers to get away with cheaply-made supplements with low bioavailability. Your selection process should consider supplements with ingredients that enhance absorption. Also, look for high-quality capsules that break down at the right time for nutrients to be fully absorbed.

✅ Clinically Studied Ingredients

Clinical trials help substantiate the efficacy of ingredients through proper tests. Look for a supplement with clinically-tested ingredients for real benefits, and avoid those based on anecdotal evidence. Even better if there are multiple studies backing the product. We based our top 5 bone health supplements on clinically studied ingredients supported by a solid body of evidence.

✅ Beware of Fakes

Sadly, according to the New York Times29, one in four products sold on Amazon is fake. This is especially true of nutritional supplements. When buying from Amazon, ensure you do so from the brand’s Amazon store. Otherwise, purchase directly from the brand’s official website. Consuming fraudulent products may cause nasty side effects — so be extra cautious.

✅ Look for Products Made in Reputable Countries

All supplements made in the USA are under FDA regulation. The same applies for Canada and Australia. Ensure products you buy come from FDA/TGA-registered facilities using GMP certified manufacturing processes. Many supplements, especially those purchased on eBay and Amazon are manufactured abroad, with little to no regulation. One study looked at 44 herbal supplements sold in North America and found 60% do not contain the ingredients or quantities claimed on the labels³⁰.

✅ EXTRA Tip: Money-Back Guarantee

A risk-free guarantee lets you try supplements without fear of losing your money. If you try the product and don’t experience results, simply contact the manufacturer for a refund. A 60- or 90-day guarantee is the minimum a manufacturer should have as a show of confidence in their products. Also, avoid companies that make you jump through hoops. One common strategy that companies use is “bottle return” – they require you pay for return shipping and return the empty bottles before they process your refund.

Top 5 Bone Health Supplements For Women

1. Provitalize 🏆

Why we like Provitalize

Women are more likely to develop osteopenia which later becomes osteoporosis because of the decline in estrogen levels during menopause. Women also lose up to 25% of their bone mass within the first 5 years of menopause, so it is indeed a major risk factor.

Provitalize is the only bone health supplement formula that addresses estrogen-related bone density decline effectively through:

Restoring hormonal balance to keep a healthy estrogen level without potentially serious side-effects of HRT or estrogen
Easing inflammation
Improving gut health to enable your body to regulate estrogen levels naturally

Provitalize contains phytoestrogens like curcumin and moringa leaves. Phytoestrogens are plant-based estrogens that can mimic the effect of estrogens in our body. Due to their herbal nature, these phytoestrogens generally do not carry negative side effects that HRT or lab-based estrogen does.

Provitalize also contains 68.2 billion CFUs of premium probiotic strains with anti-inflammatory and weight-management properties.

Probiotics help to improve our gut and digestive health, which in turns help our body to regulate estrogen levels naturally.³¹ As mentioned earlier, regular intake of probiotics for 6 months has been associated with a significant increase in bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine.

Furthermore, the probiotic strains in Provitalize were also found to lower total cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels and improve two inflammatory markers³².

According to their official website, over 1,200,000 women have tried Provitalize and over 100,000 women subscribe to it monthly. The tens of thousands of glowing reviews on TrustPilot, Amazon, and Okendo are undeniable proof that Provitalize is worthy of our top spot.

Pros

Cons

2. Beautiful Gut (Best Value)

This supplement bundle has all the benefits of Provitalize with extra support from Radiancy. Radancy further helps manage osteopenia by introducing L. Reuteri.

L. reuteri is a probiotic that may help treat bone loss associated with osteoporosis.³³ Another study found that taking a daily supplement over 1 year may help manage bone loss in older women.³⁴

Furthermore, Radiancy contains 2,500mg of marine collagen complex. Marine collagen has helped to regenerate bone in rat models of menopausal osteoporosis.³⁵ A recent study concluded that marine collagen is a promising biomaterial for bone regeneration.³⁶

Collagen works in synergy with Vitamin C. American Bone Health said studies have associated increased vitamin C levels with greater bone density.³⁷

A separate study on hyaluronic acid, another ingredient found in Radiancy, saw that it was able to protect bones in menopausal rats.³⁸.

Pros

Cons

3. AlgaeCal

AlgaeCal is a natural red algae. This natural supplement has 13 minerals and 3 vitamins that support bone growth.

It contains 25mcg of Vitamin D, 750mg of Calcium, and 65mg of Magnesium.

You have to take 3 capsules a day, one with each meal.

AlgaeCal is sold on Amazon is rated more than 4 stars from 300+ ratings.

Pros

Cons

4. Caltrate 600 Plus D3

Caltrate 600 Plus D3 has vitamin D to increase calcium absorption. This combination works together to help maintain your bones.³⁹

One study found that 82% of people did not have enough calcium in their diet.⁴⁰ This supplement can be useful for people who may not eat enough calcium-rich foods.

There aren’t many foods that have vitamin-D. The Caltrate 600 Plus D3 supplement helps fix that gap.⁴¹

Pros

Cons

5. New Chapter Bone Strength

This supplement is plant-based. It’s loaded with over 70 vitamins and minerals to support overall bone growth. Vitamin D3 and fermented vitamin K2 help your bones use the nutrients.

Its slim tablets make it easy to swallow and fit into your daily routine.

The New Chapter Bone Health vitamins are made to the purity and safety requirements of the FDA, Health Canada, and California Prop 65.

Their primary ingredient, Red Marine Algae, is organically grown and harvested sustainably from the coast of Iceland.

Pros

Cons

OR

See Verified Customer Reviews Of The #1 Bone Supplement For Women Over 40

Final Thoughts

It’s not uncommon for women to experience osteopenia and osteoporosis, primarily due to hormonal changes during menopause.

Our bone density declines by up to 25% during the first 5 years of menopause, but most women only develop osteoporosis later in their late 50s or 60s. This means there is a window of opportunity for women to slow bone loss by taking proactive steps to support their bone health. This can be accomplished through HRT or a lifestyle change to incorporate supplements that support healthy bones.

Janelle Barowski, MSN, RN

Health and wellness writer

Janelle Barowski, MSN, RN, is a health and wellness writer for several outlets, including Healthgrades and Medical News Today. She uses a balance between empathy and authenticity to craft well-written, accurate medical content.
As a registered nurse, Janelle is passionate about client education and public health. She strives to break down complex medical concepts into an approachable format for her audience

Osteopenia (Low Bone Density): Symptoms, Natural Treatments, And Prevention For Women (2024)

Osteopenia Causes For Women

Your Treatment Options

Clinically Studied Supplements For Stronger Bones

5 Important Things To Look Out For When Buying Bone Health Supplements