Why is estrogen used for treatment of osteoporosis?
Estrogen can slow or stop bone loss. If estrogen treatment begins at menopause, it can reduce the risk of hip fractures up to 50 percent. Many post-menopausal women choose estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) because of its proven usefulness in slowing the progress of or preventing osteoporosis, and in alleviating some of the irritating symptoms of menopause. This method of therapy is fairly inexpensive, ranging from $150 to $280 per year.