New study links early menopause to high osteoporosis risk

Women who have begun going through menopause at an early age may want to talk to their doctor about whether a prescription to buy Fosamax is right for them. New research indicates that these individuals face a high risk of developing osteoporosis.

In the study, a team of Swedish researchers tracked the health of a group of nearly 400 women from their late 40s through age 77. The results showed that individuals who began going through menopause before age 47 were nearly twice as likely as those who started menopause after age 47 to have osteoporosis later in life.

Participants who started menopause early were also shown to have significantly higher fracture and mortality rates, compared to those experienced the change at a later age.

The researchers said this is one of the first investigations to show that early menopause is a risk factor for osteoporosis. The findings could be useful for identifying women who are at the greatest risk of experiencing a fracture and starting them on treatments that could help them avoid this problem.