A lower than usual dose of estrogen can help women increase their bone density.

There has been a lot of bad news recently on the risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The estrogen component of HRT can, however, protect against bone loss. In a new study, researchers at the University of Connecticut Health Center looked at the effect of a dose of estrogen one quarter of that normally used.

They carried out a trial of low dose estrogen versus placebo in a group of 167 women aged over 65. Women on estrogen had increases of bone mass density of 1.2 per cent in the total body measurement. In the neck of the thigh it was 2.6 per cent, in the hip 3.6 per cent and 2.8 per cent in the spine. There was no difference in adverse effects between the estrogen and the placebo group. The study suggests that low doses of estrogen could be helpful to women at risk of osteoporosis through bone loss.

Source

Journal of the American Medical Association 27th August 2003