Preventing Osteoporosis in Men with Hormone Therapy

Most people associate osteoporosis with women. But while osteoporosis is less common in males, more than 8 million men in the United States have low bone mass.[1] Additionally, when older men suffer certain types of fractures due to bone loss, they have a higher mortality (death) rate than women. In fact, more men die of hip fractures every year than of pancreatic cancer.[2]

Unfortunately, men are rarely screened for osteoporosis. But the good news is that osteoporosis can be very successfully treated in men with lifestyle measures, hormone therapy (when indicated), and/or drug therapy.

In this article the hormone therapy experts at SottoPelle provide an overview of treating and preventing osteoporosis in men.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a medical condition in which bone loss (osteoclast activity) occurs faster than bone production (osteoblast activity).  Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle, which increases the risk of fractures, mobility limitations, and pain.

Risk Factors for Male Osteoporosis

Risk factors for male osteoporosis include being older than 70 years or older, reduced testosterone levels, poor nutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, and certain medications that interfere with bone turnover. Men with a family history of osteoporosis are also predisposed to developing osteoporosis.

Lifestyle factors that may contribute to the progression of osteoporosis are low body weight, high alcohol consumption, smoking, and some recreational drug usage. Certain underlying medical conditions can also increase the risk of a man developing osteoporosis. These include Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, HIV, Parkinson’s, MS, hyperthyroidism, and chronic kidney disease. Inflammatory conditions like COPD, RA, Asthma, IBS, and celiac disease also put a man at greater risk of developing osteoporosis.

Medications that may induce osteoporosis include aluminum-containing antacids, anti-seizure drugs, chemotherapy drugs, immunosuppressants, androgen-deprivation therapies (ADT), heparin, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), corticosteroids, and antidiabetic drugs.

Reducing the Risk Factors for Male Osteoporosis

Successful strategies for reducing the risk of osteoporosis and counteracting bone loss include certain important lifestyle modifications. Consuming food high in vitamin D and calcium, vitamin D supplementation, and refraining from smoking and alcohol consumption are the first steps. Engaging in regular weight-bearing, strength-training, and resistance exercise can also help men keep bone loss at bay. And, in older men, practicing fall-prevention strategies can reduce the risk of breaking bones.

However, lifestyle factors alone – though extremely important – are rarely sufficient on their own to prevent the development of osteoporosis.

Hormone Replacement for Men’s Osteoporosis

Hormones play an essential role in bone formation and bone maintenance in adults. But men lose 1 to 3% of their testosterone every year after the age of 40. This loss testosterone and other androgens, as well as declining estrogen levels, in elderly men contributes substantially to the development of osteoporosis.

But the good news for the large percentage of men who are hormone deficient, is that testosterone therapy in men with osteoporosis is a very effective treatment for increasing bone density.

Medications for Men’s Osteoporosis

When diet, lifestyle, supplements, and hormone replacement therapy are not sufficient, some men may also need to be prescribed medication for male osteoporosis. This can take many forms including oral or IV bisphosphonates and other antiresorptive agents, and PTH analogues

Bisphosphonates for men include Alendronate (Binosto, Fosamax) and Ibandronate (Boniva). However, like any medication, these bisphosphonates come with a litany of potential side effects, including, bone and joint pain, constipation or diarrhea, nausea and flu-like symptoms, irritation of the food pipe (esophagus), pain or difficulty swallowing, and osteonecrosis of the jaw (death of bone tissue). This is why it is recommended that men try natural bone building strategies before resorting to medication – including diet and lifestyle changes, and 100% natural bioidentical hormone therapy.

SottoPelle Method Hormone Therapy for Men’s Osteoporosis

SottoPelle Method hormone therapy stands apart from other testosterone replacement methods, because it utilizes bioidentical pellets – rather than synthetic pills, patches or gels.

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy prevents osteoporosis by restoring the body’s natural hormone balance – rather than introducing lab-created chemicals that come with harsh and dangerous side effects.

There are two types of hormone replacement therapy: hormones created in a laboratory, and “bioidentical” replacement hormones that are derived from natural, plant-based sources. Nothing that is created in a lab will ever be identical to what is found naturally in the body. But “bioidentical” hormones that are obtained from natural, living, plant-based sources are virtually identical in molecular structure to human hormones. So, the human body more readily “recognizes” bioidentical hormones, and they “fit” better with the body’s other cells.

And, unlike pills, patches and gels that need to be taken or applied daily, a single pellet insertion every six months is all that is needed with SottoPelle Method hormone therapy! The time-released hormone pellets also offer continual, 24/7 HRT – for the most consistent delivery of hormones, rather than the “ups and downs” of pills, patches and gels.

And because the pellets are customized for each individual patient based on their lab results (rather than one-size-fits-all, like pills and patches) patients get exactly the dose they need – which means fewer side effects.

Men’s Hormone Therapy for Osteoporosis  | Scottsdale, AZ

Because men experience a substantially decreased quality of life and have an increased mortality risk following a bone fracture, it is imperative for to screen and treat men at risk for osteoporosis.

One of the essential methods of treating and preventing men’s osteoporosis is through the use of 100% natural, convenient, and safe SottoPelle® Method bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Talk to your physician about SottoPelle® Method men’s hormone therapy today. Or you can also find a physician in your area who is a Certified SottoPelle® hormone therapy provider using our Physician Finder HERE.

Men’s Hormone Therapy  | Scottsdale, AZ: (323) 986-5100

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1. Burge R, Dawson-Hughes B, Solomon DH, et al. Incidence and economic burden of osteoporosis-related fractures in the United States, 2005-2025. J Bone Miner Res 2007; 22:465.
2. Center JR, Nguyen TV, Schneider D, et al. Mortality after all major types of osteoporotic fracture in men and women: an observational study. Lancet 1999; 353:878.
3. Kiebzak GM, Beinart GA, Perser K, et al. Undertreatment of osteoporosis in men with hip fracture. Arch Intern Med 2002; 162:2217.
4. Feldstein A, Elmer PJ, Orwoll E, et al. Bone mineral density measurement and treatment for osteoporosis in older individuals with fractures: a gap in evidence-based practice guideline implementation. Arch Intern Med 2003; 163:2165.
5. Melissa A. Burmeister, PhD, Timothy K. Fincher, PhD, RPh, Anthony M. Todd, PharmD, Kristopher G. Virga, PhD, et al.  An Overview of Male Osteoporosis, June 11, 2021
6. Feldstein AC, Nichols G, Orwoll E, et al. The near absence of osteoporosis treatment in older men with fractures. Osteoporos Int 2005; 16:953.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as general information only and is not intended to be used as medical advice. While the benefits of hormone replacement are well documented through clinical research, we are not representing that hormone therapy is a “cure” for any disease. Only your treating physician can determine if hormone replacement may be a beneficial part of your healthcare regimen, based on your age, overall health, risk factors, and lifestyle.