Why bones thin right now
According to the NHS, women lose bone density quickly in the first few years after menopause. The risk is higher if menopause starts before 45 or the ovaries have been removed. The North American Menopause Society's 2021 position statement names this oestrogen-related bone loss as the main cause of osteoporosis in women. Age, genetics, smoking, low body weight and some medicines add to it.
What exercise achieves
In SWAN, a large US long-term study, women who became more active in the years around menopause lost bone density at the hip more slowly (Greendale 2023). The most common activity was walking. Even small increases in duration, frequency or pace seemed to make a difference.
A 2025 meta-analysis of postmenopausal women found that training improves bone density measurably, but only slightly. Combined strength and aerobic training did best.
Muscles grow at any age
A 2026 meta-analysis of 126 studies with more than 4,000 women, two thirds of them postmenopausal, found that strength training increased strength equally before and after menopause. There was also no difference in muscle gain or fat loss. The authors conclude that general training guidelines apply here too.
For menopause, the NHS recommends regular exercise in which your legs and feet carry your body weight, such as walking, running and dancing, plus exercises with weights.
What else matters
- A diet with enough protein, calcium and vitamin D, not smoking and little alcohol: the 2021 statement names these as the basis for all postmenopausal women.
- If your risk is raised, a bone density scan (DEXA) can make sense. The NHS describes it as quick and painless.
- Whether medication is needed is a medical decision. Hormone therapy also protects against bone loss (more on this).
If your periods stopped early, take this especially seriously, see early menopause.