The Latest in Menopause and Bone Health
There is new research pertaining to Estradiol, exercise and bone health! I will summarize the research here for you! A paper from Piette and Simon (Gynecological Endocrinology, 2026) looked at serum Estradiol from Transdermal Estradiol patches against the KEEPS and ELITE studies. What was found to be protective to protect your bones and heart health were serum levels of 60 pg/mL with levels up to 100 pg/mL in post-menopausal women. For those that are perimenopausal who are at great risk of bone loss in the year before and year after menopause, optimal levels are between 100-150 pg/mL. It was also found the oral Estradiol was not as effective to protect bones compared to Estradiol patches.
The LIFTMOR (Lifting Intervention For Training Muscle and Osteoporosis Rehabilitation) followed postmenopausal women with low bone mass for 8 months, having them do 30 minutes two times per week of high intensity resistance training and high-impact weight bearing exercise 5 sets of 5 repetitions. They had increase in lumbar spine (4%) and femoral neck (thigh bone) (2%) in bone mineral density, more mobility and better balance.
From the LIFTMOR study, lift heavy weights rapidly (the explosive phase) and lower them slowly. Optimal strategy combines heavy lifting 2–3 times a week with high-impact or multi-directional movements (like jump squats, heel drops, or sports like tennis). On the days you are not lifting, continue with aerobic exercise to improve cardiovascular health. In post-menopausal women, heavy weight lifting signals bone building cells, keeps bones flexible and resistant to fractures.
Now to recover the muscles from intense heavy weight lifting, it is recommended to consume 30-40 grams of high quality protein trigger Muscle Protein Synthesis. This will help retain 40% more lean muscle mass over time compared to those that consume less protein.
Overall, this is all about prevention and keeping yourself healthy. Science keep evolving, but we are heading in the right direction by doing specific studies on menopause in women. Start slow with everything, keep up on blood testing (cbc, hormones, cmp, vitamin D, possibly osteocalcin if already have osteoporosis) and DEXA bone scans to monitor or identify where you need support. Be consistent with nutrition, exercise, sleep, and taking your prescribed hormones. Everyone has individual biochemistry and epigenetics. Therefore I will tailor your treatment for you to have the best health.
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