Abstract
The study of background factors in individuals with high bone mineral density (BMD) may provide useful information in the prevention of osteoporosis. We investigated the relationship of reproductive factors to BMD. In 519 female volunteers (327 postmenopausal and 192 premenopausal women) ranging in age from 21 to 74 (mean 52.3 ±11.8) years, spinal BMD values were obtained using both quantitative computed tomography and dual x-ray absorptiometry. The z score was calculated from the mean BMD in each 5-year age group, and high BMD and low BMD was defined as BMD with z score >+1.5 and <-1.5, respectively. Normal BMD was defined as BMD within the range-1.0 <z score <+1.0. Long reproductive period, early menarche, and late menopause were associated with high BMD. Among these, the reproductive period showed the strongest association with BMD. In postmenopausal women, early menopause had a significant relationship with low BMD, and early menarche also had some relation to high BMD. In premenopausal women, there was a significant relationship between early menarche and high BMD. The age at menarche may have a strong association with peak bone mass, as suggested by the positive correlation of early menarche with high BMD observed in this study. It is considered important to prevent risk factors that disturb the beginning of menstruation in adolescent girls.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ooms ME, Lips P, Van Lingen A, Valkenburg HA (1993) Determinants of bone mineral density and risk factors for osteoporosis in healthy elderly women. J Bone Miner Res 8:669–675
Ernst E (1993) Smoking, a cause of back trouble? [Review] Br J Rheumatol 32:239–242
Chon KS, Sartoris DJ, Brown SA, Clopton P (1992) Alcoholismassociated spinal and femoral bone loss in abstinent male alcoholics, as measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry. Skeletal Radiol 21:431–436
Cooper C, Atkinson EJ, Wahner HW, O'Fallon WM, Riggs BL, Judd HL, Melton LJ III (1992) Is caffeine consumption a risk factor for osteoporosis? J Bone Miner Res 7:465–471
Fox KM, Magaziner J, Sherwin R, Scott JC, Plato CC, Nevitt M, Cummings S (1993) Reproductive correlates of bone mass in elderly women. Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group. J Bone Miner Res 8:901–908
Nordin BE, Need AG, Chatterton BE, Horowitz M, Morris HA (1990) The relative contributions of age and years since menopause to postmenopausal bone loss. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 70:83–88
Pouilles JM, Tremollieres F, Bonneu M, Ribot C (1994) Influence of early age at menopause on vertebral bone mass. J Bone Miner Res 9:311–315
Kritz-Silverstein D, Barrett-Connor E (1993) Early menopause, number of reproductive years, and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. Am J Public Health 83:983–988
Matkovic V, Jelic T, Wardlaw GM, Ilich JZ, Goel PK, Wright JK, Andon MB, Smith KT, Heaney RP (1994) Timing of peak bone mass in Caucasian females and its implication for the prevention of osteoporosis. J Clin Invest 93:799–808
Seeman E, Wahner HW, Offord KP, Kumar R, Johnson WJ, Riggs BL (1982) Differential effects of endocrine dysfunction on the axial and appendicular skeleton. J Clin Invest 69:1302–1309
Dhuper S, Warren MP, Brooks-Gunn J, Fox R (1990) Effects of hormonal status on bone density in adolescent girls. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 71:1083–1088
Kalender WA, Klotz E, Suess C (1987) Vertebral bone mineral analysis: an integrated approach with CT. Radiology 164:419–423
Kin K, Lee JH, Kushida K, Sartoris DJ, Ohmura A, Clopton PL, Inoue T (1993) Bone density and body composition on the Pacific rim: a comparison between Japan-born and US-born Japanese-American women. J Bone Miner Res 8:861–869
Kroger H, Kotaniemi A, Kroger L, Alhava E (1993) Development of bone mass and bone density of the spine and femoral neck—a prospective study of 65 children and adolescents. Bone Miner 23:171–182
Theintz G, Buchs B, Rizzoli R, Slosman D, Clavien H, Sizonenko PC, Bonjour JP (1992) Longitudinal monitoring of bone mass accumulation in healthy adolescents: evidence for a marked reduction after 16 years of age at the levels of lumbar spine and femoral neck in female subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 75:1060–1065
Herzog W, Minne H, Deter C, Leidig G, Schellberg D, Wuster C, Gronwald R, Sarembe E, Kroger F, Bergmann G, Petzold E, Hahn P, Schepank H, Ziegler R (1993) Outcome of bone mineral density in anorexia nervosa patients 11.7 years after first admission. J Bone Miner Res 8:597–605
Louis O, Demeirleir K, Kalender W, Keizer HA, Platen P, Hollmann W, Osteaux M (1991) Low vertebral bone density values in young non-elite female runners. Int J Sports Med 12:214–217
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ito, M., Yamada, M., Hayashi, K. et al. Relation of early menarche to high bone mineral density. Calcif Tissue Int 57, 11–14 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00298989
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00298989