After a certain period, women start losing their bone strength due to so many factors. The bone health in a body is equivalent to organ and muscle health. How secure is your muscle, and the density of a bone can define the health of your knees, back, shoulders, and various other parts?
Osteoporosis is one amongst that illness that affects individuals irrespective of their gender. The studies have proved it more active in women after they reach the menopause phase. Women have always witnessed the conditions which turn severe once they reach the menopause stage.
Experts have claimed that after a woman reaches the peak bone mass at the age of 25-30, the bones in their body begin reducing in health. As a woman approaches the menopause stage, there is a reduction in estrogen levels in the body, which leads to the symptoms of Osteoporosis.
Not every woman needs to always have a lousy sustainability rate with their approach towards menopause; it varies on the lifestyle and the culture from woman to woman. The gradual loss of bone density in a woman from ages before menopause (Perimenopause) up until reaching that age leads to a rise in the probability of breaking a bone is known as Osteoporosis.
Although taking extra care of your bones and practicing a healthy lifestyle is the only available solution right now, Researchers in Brazil claim to have found an answer to this reduction in bone health. Their study presents the theory that Oxytocin can Prevent Osteoporosis in Females.
What are the findings of the study?
The scientists in Brazil experimented with this theory via the model of a rat. The researchers used a hormone responsible for the processes of reducing bone density and bone health- Oxytocin to reverse this process. The method seems something as relatable to reverse psychology, where a problem cures by lapse of the procedure.
The research performed in São Paulo State University Brazil, by the experts brought into light that Brazil as a country has an aging population that leads to millions of hip fracture cases every year. The condition is not only a matter of concern for Brazil but other states and countries where the aging population runs parallel to the younger Gen Z.
Rita Menegati Dornelles, the senior study author, said that these aging populations suffer from loss of bone density. There is a probability that about almost 40% of a community could lose their ability to walk independently due to fractured hip, which could be the outcome of Osteoporosis. The senior author says,
…about two-thirds of these need help a year later. Less than half recover their previous level of function
The experts stated that the chances of Osteoporosis are 2-3 times more in women than men that could lead to a higher mortality rate. The researchers experimented on a female rat’s model focusing on the part of the hip called Femoral neck. According to studies, Femoral neck fracture causes the inability to move in a person.
The researchers treated these female rats who were in the perimenopausal stage with Oxytocin. Oxytocin refers to that hormone secreted by bone cells in a body and is linked with bone metabolism regulating the bone mass in women. Oxytocin is also responsible for feelings of the bond, empathy & affection.
The study says that when women approach the period of menopause, levels of Oxytocin seem to reduce along with estrogen level. When the researchers treated those rats with Oxytocin hormone, after one month of observation, the findings proved to be useful.
After collecting the blood and tissue samples, the experts claimed that the hormone-Oxytocin helped in building healthy bone and elevate the levels of density in the bone as compared to other rats who were in the perimenopausal phase with low bone density.
The findings in rat models also showed regeneration of biochemical markers in their blood. Osteoporosis causes the honeycomb-like structure inside the bones to widen their gap, and from the outer, it becomes thinner and weak. Oxytocin cured it in rat models.
Future Prospects of the Treatment
Experts said that this treatment is to be referred to in women during the perimenopausal phase when the aging process begins gradually, not after menopause. There are more research and experiments need to be done to reach a conclusive end for applying this cure on women to treat Osteoporosis.
Moreover, until that period, it is advisable to practice a healthy lifestyle with wholesome food and proper care after approaching the menopause period because it is a very crucial phase for female health and wellness, which requires regular checkup and assessability to a physician.
