Throughout life, our body loses bone, and new bone grows to replace lost bone. As girls and young women, our bones grow and thicken, and the amount of bone formed is greater than the amount of bone lost. Between the ages of 25 and 35, we reach our "peak bone mass" – the time when our bones are their strongest and densest. From age 35 to menopause, our body gradually begins to lose more bone than it can make. Now, at midlife, we lose bone faster than at any other time of our life. Why? What does it mean to our health? What can we do about it?

The fact is, midlife is a critical turning point for a woman's bones. We lose bone most rapidly – at a rate of 2% to 4% annually – during the early postmenopausal years, the three to 10 years immediately following our last period. Before age 60, many women can lose more than 25% of their bone mass. After that age the loss slows, but we are still losing bone faster than it can be replaced. As a result, bones become thinner, weaker and more fragile. When too much bone is lost, we can develop osteoporosis, a disease that puts us at risk for fractures of the hips, spine and wrists (resulting in loss of height, stooped posture, reduced quality of life and pain).

But there's good news. Today, osteoporosis is preventable and treatable. There are steps we can take to reduce our risk of developing osteoporosis and prevent a mild case from turning into a serious one. There are even drugs that can reverse bone loss and prevent fractures. Remember ... exercise, calcium and Vitamin D are important in preventing osteoporosis, but they alone cannot fully stop bone loss or rebuild bone.

It's up to each of us to keep our bones strong and healthy. Don't make the mistake of thinking there's nothing you can do about osteoporosis. Instead, learn all you can and take charge of your body, your bones and your health. The more you know, the better.*