Osteoporosis currently affects one out of five women in America. While both exercise and nutritional strategies exist to help combat this problem, a little extra help may be necessary from time to time. Testosterone, a steroidal hormone women produce via the adrenal glands, can help improve bone mineral density. Consult your health care provider for advice on integrating testosterone therapy with your diet and exercise program to treat osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a progressive weakening of the bones secondary to a loss of bone mineral density. While osteoporosis can occur in anyone, it is far more common in women. If you are smaller in stature, older, or have a family history of osteoporosis you are at an increased risk of contracting this condition. Factors that you can control include diet and exercise, as a diet low in calcium, total calories, and vitamin D combined with a lack of weight-bearing exercise increases your risk of osteoporosis.
Testosterone
Testosterone is a hormonal produced by your endocrine system. As a drug, it belongs to the class of compounds known as anabolic-androgenic steroids, or AAS. Testosterone, like all drugs, has multiple effects, including the improvement of strength and lean muscle mass. Testosterone has been used in the treatment of osteoporosis since the 1990s, according to the "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism." In a 1999 study researchers showed that androgen replacement therapy in women was useful in treating numerous wasting conditions.
Specific Function of Testosterone
As you age, there is a decrease in your production of testosterone. There is also a direct correlation between your decrease in testosterone and your specific bone mineral density, according to researchers at the University of Copenhagen. A study published in the 1987 issue of "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" showed that during periods of peak testosterone production, women displayed fewer symptoms of osteoporosis than during periods of lower testosterone production.
Therapy
Testosterone has a marked effect on improvements in bone mineral density. According to a 2006 study published in "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism," intramuscular injections had a noted effect on improvements in bone mineral density. Androgen use, such as testosterone, is effective in stimulating increases in bone mineral density in women. However, according to a 2006 review of literature published in the "European Journal of Endocrinology," testosterone use in women should only be administered when women show a testosterone deficiency.
References
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskelatal and Skin Diseases: What Is Osteoporosis?
- "BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders"; Menstrual Irregularity and Bone Mass in Premenopausal Women: Cross-sectional Associations with Testosterone and SHBG; S. Wei, et al.; December 2010
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskelatal and Skin Disease: Osteoporosis Overview
- "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism"; Androgen Replacement in Women; S. Davis; June 1999
- "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism"; Bone Mass and Its Relationship to Age and the Menopause; L. Nilas, et al.; October 1987
- "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism"; Testosterone Use in Men and Its Effects on Bone Health; M.J. Tracz, et al.; June 2006
