Hormone Replacement Therapy and Osteoporosis

As we age, we need to confront the very real possibility of getting osteoporosis. This is particularly true of women, but men can also get osteoporosis.

Per the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation, about 54 million Americans have this disease. And approximately 50% of women — and up to 25% of men — will break a bone due to osteoporosis.

That’s why it’s so important to know about this disease and what you can do to prevent bone loss. 

It’s equally important to realize that while osteoporosis comes along with age, it also has a great deal to do with hormone levels, particularly estrogen. Fortunately, hormone replacement therapy can help with the loss of hormones that may result in osteoporosis.

Learn more about our Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Call our New Patient Coordinator at 972-960-4800.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis means “porous bone.” This disease causes bones to lose density and become weak and brittle. In fact, your bones can become so brittle that even bending over or coughing can cause a fracture!

The cells inside bones are constantly breaking down and rebuilding bone tissue. This process, called remodeling, happens throughout our lives and keeps our bones healthy and strong. Osteoporosis happens when the creation of new bone doesn’t keep up with the loss of old bone, thus making the bones more porous. 

Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur in the wrist, spine, or hip. And this can lead to more serious problems, particularly with hip fractures where you can’t move for long periods of time.

Osteopenia is a condition in which bone density is lower than normal but not low enough to be considered osteoporosis. However, it’s important to be aware of it and do what you can to strengthen your bones so you don’t end up with osteoporosis.

Causes and Risk Factors

The primary risk factor for osteoporosis is age: both women and men have an increased risk after age 50. According to the CDC, osteoporosis affects about 1 in 5 women and 1 in 20 men over the age of 50.

The biggest reason for this is declining hormone levels, specifically estrogen. A sharp decline in estrogen levels after menopause speeds up bone density loss in women. And with men, declining testosterone levels can contribute, as their bodies convert testosterone into estrogen. However, with men, these hormone decreases happen much more gradually. 

Other causes and risk factors include:

• Parathyroid imbalance: Your parathyroid releases a hormone to control calcium levels in your blood, which is vital for bone strength.
• Insufficient vitamin D: This vitamin is essential for maintaining the calcium in your bones. 
• Bone structure and body weight: Smaller, thinner people have less bone to lose than people with larger frames.
• Sedentary lifestyle: Low levels of physical activity can contribute to an increased rate of bone loss. 
• Smoking: Cigarettes can block the body’s ability to use estrogen and inhibit the absorption of calcium and vitamin D.
• Too much alcohol: Alcohol abuse can stop bone remodeling and increase calcium loss.

How Does Estrogen Affect Bone Density?

Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining bone health. It helps to regulate the activity of bone cells called osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Osteoblasts build new bone tissue, while osteoclasts break down old bone tissue. Estrogen helps to balance these two processes by slowing down the activity of osteoclasts, which reduces the amount of bone tissue that is broken down.

During menopause, when estrogen levels decrease, this balance is disrupted. Osteoclasts become more active, breaking down bone tissue faster than osteoblasts can rebuild it. As a result, bone density decreases, and the risk of developing osteoporosis increases.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Help

Estrogen therapy has long been associated with the treatment of osteoporosis. However, in the past, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was only done using synthetic hormones. And the risks of using these synthetic hormones far outweighed the benefits, particularly regarding the increased risk of some breast cancers, endometrial cancer, heart disease, and stroke in women, as well as prostate cancer in men.

However, research has shown that bioidentical estrogen doesn’t carry the same hormone replacement therapy risks as the synthetics of the past. Bioidentical estrogen is safe and effective when used to treat and prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. 

As part of our Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, we provide comprehensive testing and treatment. We address hormonal imbalances through an integrative, personalized, comprehensive, and regularly monitored program.

Our program incorporates:

• Scientific-based laboratory testing
• Provider consultation
• Comprehensive health assessment
• Nutritional education
• Medically proven supplements as needed
• Bioidentical hormones prescribed based on your individual needs

Our Providers are Hormone Experts

Dr. Leigh Ann Scott is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Dr. Scott has been practicing for 30 years. For the last eight years, she has focused on individual wellness programs for her patients that balance hormones and restore vitality.

As a medical doctor specializing in gynecology, she has experience in dealing with health issues and specialized training in using bioidentical hormones and other therapies that help you achieve your goals of looking and feeling younger.

As a woman who has experienced many of these symptoms herself, she understands the personal and private struggles the hormone imbalance can create in one’s life.

Dr. Scott’s knowledge and understanding of health help her design the right protocol for hormone balance, nutrition, supplement support, weight management, and (if indicated) food sensitivity testing.

Read more about Dr. Scott here.

Dr. Kyler Elwell-Silver is a board-certified physician who is passionate about medicine and deeply committed to patient care. After years of practicing conventional medicine in a successful career as an obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Elwell reached a point where she felt the need to explore a different approach and decided to transition to functional medicine. The increasing number of inquiries about functional medicine and the desire to provide comprehensive care beyond the limitations of 15-minute appointments prompted her to do some soul-searching and make a change.

With her expertise in functional medicine, dedication to continued learning, and genuine passion for patient care, Dr. Kyler Elwell-Silver is a valuable addition to our functional medicine practice, providing comprehensive and personalized care that addresses the root causes of illness and promotes optimal health and well-being.

Read more about Dr. Elwell here.

Our Nurse Practitioners

Nurse Practitioner Elise Clark’s early training included critical care, surgical care, and women’s health. She then practiced family medicine and worked in endocrinology for several years.

She saw firsthand that she could help people feel much better and safely elevate their lives with hormones. However, she realized she was not able to help people like she wanted to in a traditional medical environment. She wanted to focus on her patients more holistically, incorporating nutrition, disease prevention, and education into her practice.

Elise follows the same procedures as Dr. Scott, formulating the right protocol for hormone balance, nutrition, supplement support, and weight management. As a result, she helps to achieve long-term wellness for each of her patients.

Read more about Elise Clark here. 

Nurse Practitioner Debbie Bluestein has been a Nurse Practitioner since 1998. And she has done extensive study and training in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy and Optimization. She has been working with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy since 2011.

Debbie uses a functional medicine approach to anti-aging, using hormones, diet, exercise, nutraceuticals, and supplements. She is passionate about helping people feel their best and achieve optimal health. Debbie believes in using a very individualized approach to achieve optimal hormone balance for each patient.

Read more about Debbie Bluestein here. 

Our Physician Assistant

Physician Assistant Kam Neal has loved medicine her entire life. She is a certified Physician Assistant and licensed by the Texas Medical Board.

Kam felt frustrated working in a traditional medical model, not seeing her patients feel any better. And her experience with hormone imbalances after having children and being told “everything is normal” led her to functional medicine and an optimal wellness model.

Kam loves working with each patient to find the root cause of their illness while teaching them about their health. Her goal is that every patient feels informed and empowered to take charge of their health.

Read more about Kam Neal here. 

We Are Here for You!

Our providers at Leigh Ann Scott, MD, understand that all hormones work synergistically with each other. We also want to keep your overall health in mind, and our extensive lab panels check other key health markers.

We can give a much more thorough idea of what’s going on within your body and mind. Also, we are always willing to work with your other health providers as needed.

So many other factors can affect your endocrine system and long-term health. Because we always look at the big picture, we are able to help not only alleviate your symptoms but also get you to feel like your old self again.

We want to ensure that you’re healthy for a long time to come! That’s why we all spend plenty of time with you to get to know you and your specific concerns. Lab results don’t always give us the full picture. Your diagnostic testing may show that you are in the “normal” range, but you are still not feeling good.

We offer our services in a warm, compassionate, and safe environment.