Osteoporosis - Part 3
Hormones are the messengers that help regulate nearly everything your body does—from metabolism and growth to mood and energy levels. When your hormones are balanced, your body runs smoothly, but when they’re out of sync, it can lead to a host of issues, including bone health problems.
For instance, estrogen helps maintain bone density by slowing down the bone breakdown process. Then there’s cortisol, your body’s main stress hormone. High levels of cortisol over time can pull calcium out of your bones, leaving them weaker. And let’s not forget about thyroid hormones; if they’re not balanced, they can either speed up or slow down bone turnover, leading to brittle or weak bones.
When these hormones are out of balance, it’s like taking away one leg of a three-legged stool—your bones can’t stay strong without the support of a stable hormonal foundation.
Estrogen: The Bone Protector
Estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density by balancing the activity of osteoclasts (the cells that break down bone) and osteoblasts (the cells that build bone). This is why women experience a rapid decline in bone density after menopause, when estrogen levels drop dramatically. Without sufficient estrogen, bone resorption (breakdown) increases, making bones more fragile and prone to fractures.
But it’s not just a concern for women. Men also need estrogen for healthy bones. In men, estrogen is derived from testosterone through a process called aromatization. Low estrogen levels in men can also lead to increased bone loss, although this is less common.
Cortisol: The Stress Hormone That Weakens Bones
Cortisol, often called the "stress hormone," is produced by your adrenal glands in response to stress. While it’s essential for handling short-term stress, chronically elevated levels can be harmful to your bones. Here’s why:
Calcium Depletion: High cortisol levels can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb calcium from food and supplements. They also increase calcium excretion through urine, reducing the amount of calcium available for your bones.
Bone Breakdown: Cortisol promotes the activity of osteoclasts, the cells responsible for breaking down bone tissue. Over time, high cortisol levels can accelerate bone loss, particularly if they remain elevated due to ongoing stress.
The way I look at it is this –
When under stress, your body is doing everything it needs to keep you alive in that moment. This system was developed when most stresses were physical stresses (hunting or being hunted) and these stresses were short-lived. They weren’t meant for our long-standing emotional stresses that are common nowadays.
Because your body thinks you’re in life-threatening physical danger, it only makes sense that it will use whatever it needs to keep you alive. If minerals were your bank account, your body sees no reason not to spend all your savings, especially if it means keeping you alive.
Over the course of months and years of chronic stress, this cortisol-induced bone breakdown to free up minerals can lead to weaker bones.
Finishing your stress cycle each day (aka, moving out of stress) can help enormously to keep your bones strong. Check out the masterclass on it for more.
Thyroid Hormones: Balancing Bone Turnover
Your thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate your body’s metabolism, energy levels, and bone turnover rate. The two main hormones, T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine), influence how quickly your bones are broken down and rebuilt.
Hyperthyroidism: When your thyroid is overactive, your metabolism speeds up, and so does bone turnover (osteoclasts). This can lead to increased bone loss because the bone breakdown process (resorption) outpaces bone formation.
Hypothyroidism: An underactive thyroid slows down your metabolism and reduces the activity of osteoblasts, the cells that form new bone. This can result in reduced bone density over time.
Both conditions, if left untreated, can have serious consequences for bone health. That’s why it’s important to have your thyroid function checked regularly.
A thyroid temp test, where you measure your body temperature first thing in the morning, can give you insights into how your thyroid is functioning. Here’s the test if you want to try it.
Steps to Support Hormone Balance
Here are some key strategies to keep your hormones in check and protect your bones:
Stress Management: Techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing can help lower cortisol levels, protecting your bones from the negative effects of chronic stress.
Dietary Support: Include foods rich in phytoestrogens (like flaxseeds and soy) to support estrogen levels, and eat a diet high in magnesium and vitamin B6 to support adrenal and thyroid health.
Prioritize Sleep: Quality sleep is essential for regulating hormones like cortisol and thyroid hormones. Aim for 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, and establish a calming bedtime routine.
While these are general guidelines, they will be explored in more detail in Part 5, where you’ll get a full action plan tailored to your bone health needs.
What’s Next?
Hormones are a significant piece of the bone health puzzle, but they’re not the only factor. Chronic inflammation can also silently erode your bones over time. In Part 4, you’ll learn how inflammation contributes to bone loss and discover effective strategies to reduce inflammation and support strong, healthy bones.
Got any questions or comments? Comment below, jump to our private Facebook Group, or the Ask Lisa page :).