What You Need to Know about Antidepressants and Osteoporosis
H2 Learn why hormone replacement therapy is safer than antidepressants for your bone health.
Far too many women are being prescribed antidepressants when what they really need is hormone replacement therapy. When this happens, their doctors are doing them a grave disservice. Not only do antidepressants fail to address any of the other menopause symptoms these women may be experiencing; antidepressants also cause side effects.
Antidepressants Linked to Osteoporosis
In a study released this summer, researchers from Northeastern University found that menopausal women who take antidepressants frequently suffer from weakening of their bones. This side effect has the potential to last for several years even after antidepressants are discontinued.
The study looked at 12 years’ worth of health data on 370,000 menopausal women. Among women who were prescribed depressants such as fluoxetine (Prozac), hydrobromide, oxalate, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline, the rate of fractures was significantly higher than normal. After one year of treatment, the rate of fractures was 76 percent higher. After two years, it was 73 percent higher and after 5 years it was 67 percent higher.
Why Hormone Replacement Therapy is a Better Choice
Under the care of an experienced physician, hormone replacement therapy can not only relieve depression without causing osteoporosis, but actually help to fight osteoporosis and a variety of other menopause symptoms.
When treating depression with hormones, it is important to understand that depression may be linked to a variety of hormonal imbalances that are common at menopause:
- Low estrogen reduces your ability to produce serotonin, an important mood-regulating neurotransmitter
- Low progesterone robs your body of a natural anti-depressant you had in abundance when you were younger
- Testosterone normally helps lift your mood, but if testosterone declines your mood may darken
- Low thyroid is also associated with depression, anxiety, and irritability
- Excessive cortisol production in response to stress can wear out your adrenal gland and lead to depression and anxiety
By bringing these hormones into a healthy balance, many women find that their depressive symptoms are dramatically improved or even eliminated. At the same time, raising estrogen and progesterone to healthy levels promotes bone health by keeping the cells that break down bone tissue and the cells that build new bone tissue in balance.
Renew Woman™ Offers Safe Treatment Choices
If you would like to learn more about protecting your bone health and/or addressing depression and other mood problems with hormone replacement therapy, please contact Renew Woman™ at 800-859-7511. We’ll be happy to explain why our treatments are safe, despite any misinformation you may have received from your own doctor.
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