Did you know that up to 62% of women between 50 and 69 in Australia have poor bone health, and most have no idea?
Bone loss doesn't start in your 70s. It starts around our late 20's and accelerates during the menopause transition, quietly and without symptoms, long before the health system thinks to check.
In this Midlife Unfiltered podcast episode, I draw on my own lived experience. As a retired radiographer with an Osteoporosis diagnosis at 51, and a journey to reverse it without medication. To bust 8 of the most common myths about bone health and give you the knowledge to take action for yourself, right now.
Why This Matters.
The numbers are hard to ignore. They are Australian numbers but if you're in a predominantly English speaking country they are likely to be similar for you too:
:: 62% of Australian women aged 50–69 have poor bone health (osteopenic or osteoporotic)
:: 10–20% of bone mass is lost during the menopause transition alone (in that 5–10 year period peri and post menopause)
:: 70% of women over 79 are osteoporotic
:: $3.5 billion — the annual cost to Australia's health system for fracture care
And yet in Australia, a subsidised bone scan isn't available until age 70, unless you have a pre-existing risk factor. That's a 20+ year gap where lifestyle intervention could make a real difference! That's a 20 year gap you need to advocate for yourself and fill.
Do you know your bone health status?
8 Myths & Misconceptions
To widen your awareness and arm you with conversation kickers to take to your health care team.
Myth 1: Poor bone health Is an old woman's disease.
Bone decline starts around our late 20's and for women, accelerates during our menopause transition. With about 62% of women having poor bone health (13% osteoporosis and 49% with osteopenia) between 50–69, poor bone health is not just what you get in old age. Don't wait to find out your bone health status. Ask your doctor for a referral for a DEXA scan costs around $120 AUD . You don't need a referral for a REMS scan. Reports are explained to you on the spot and are sent to your health team. They cost about $200 AUD. Your health fund may cover most of it.
Myth 2: Improving Bone health is a quick fix.
Bone is slow-changing tissue. Gains take months to years; loss can happen much faster, especially around menopause. Bone health is a long game no matter what your treatment options — the sooner you start, the better. And don't give up on them!
Myth 3: Medication is my only treatment option.
Not at all. The LIFTMOR trials (Dr Belinda Beck, Australia) showed targeted strength training can not only slow bone decline — it can reverse it, sometimes better than medication. Plus it builds muscle and improves balance. HRT is also proven to support bone health in women, independent of menopausal symptoms.
There's a link to the LIFTMOR trial in the Resources section below.
Note: walking, running, cycling and swimming won't build bone. You need impact and loading — jumping, stomping, and targeted strength training.
Myth 4: Calcium is all my bones need.
Calcium matters absolutely, but it needs support with a healthy diet that offers:
:: Calcium — the building block - 98% of our calcium stores are in our bones
:: Protein — bones are made of collagen too; essential for strength
:: Vitamin D — helps bones absorb calcium (low levels can actually draw calcium out of bone)
:: Vitamin K — helps direct calcium to your bones
Prunes. Yep, really. 5 prunes a day for 12 months has been shown to slow bone loss. Prunes have potassium, boron, magnesium, polyphenols as well as Vitamin K which all support bone health. There's a link to that study in the Resources section below.
Myth 5: Bones just hold me up.
Bones are living, metabolic tissue and an endocrine organ. They store and release minerals, respond to hormones and nutrition, and even produce hormones — osteocalcin and FGF23 - hormones that affect other organs and systems in your body. Mindset shift- think of them just as you would other important organs in your body.
Myth 6: A DEXA scan tells me everything.
DEXA scans have been around for about 30 years and have been a valuable tool in understanding bone health status. The standard DEXA scan primarily measures bone density. But because it's a 2D snapshot of a 3D structure, it misses bone strength. If you get a DEXA with TBS (Trabecular Bone Strength) that helps to fill that gap. Not all practices with a DEXA offer this add on so you'll need to check first.
REMS scans (ultrasound-based) measure both and as such give an indication of overall bone quality - density and strength. It produces a Fragility Score that reflects bone quality and fracture risk . Changes show up in 6 months with REMS vs 18 months with DEXA. No GP referral needed for REMS and the reports are available instantly and are sent to your health team members so you can discuss the findings with them.
Bone Turnover Markers (blood tests) can also add useful clues about how much your bones are building or breaking down.
Myth 7: My T-score is all that matters.
T-scores are a metric used to define bone health status - to diagnose osteoporosis. They are useful, but incomplete. What really matters is fracture risk. Ask your doctor about your FRAX score (10-year fracture probability) and consider a REMS scan to obtain a Fragility Score — these give a far more complete picture and should guide your treatment choices. Fragility Fractures are what we are talking about here. Fractures that happen as a part of living day to day - from lower impact, like tripping over the rug at home and falling over.
There is a link to a FRAX tool the Resources section below. It's country specific so find yours.
⚠️ 2/3 of hip fracture patients in Australia are women with 25% of those women likely to die within 12 months of fracturing. Men fracture less often, but their mortality rate is even higher at 33%. Share this episode with the men in your life and talk to them about getting a bone scan done too.
Myth 8: Osteoporosis can't be reversed.
Turn up the volume on this. It's perhaps the most important (and hopeful) myth of all. Osteoporosis absolutely can be reversed. Consistent, targeted strength training — supervised by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist — works. It's not overnight, but the research and real-world results back it up. Anita is living proof.
Key Takeaways — Taking Action for Future You. Don't Wait!
Don't wait for a fracture or until you are 70 to get a bone scan. Get a bone scan done now! DEXA (~$120) or REMS (~$200), both may be partially claimable through private health. They are worth the investment - for long term mobility and independence - living a longer life well.
Think fracture risk, not just T-score — ask about your FRAX and Fragility Scores
Strength training is non-negotiable — impact and loading is what builds bone but do it under knowledgeable and experienced supervision for safety if you are in poor bone health. I can't stress that enough. Supervised by those who are trained in how to do the moves safely with you.
Build your health team — seek a physio or exercise physiologist who specialises in bone health and a GP who will support you to assess and scan early.
Don't be afraid to change practitioners if you're not getting current, comprehensive care. I changed endocrinologists because I felt I wasn't getting the most current advice nor conversations about options for my bone health.
Bones are a long game — the earlier you start, the better the outcome. But it's never too late to begin. Ever.
Resources Mentioned
LIFTMOR Trials — Dr Belinda Beck's landmark strength training research:
REMS Scan Episode — Anita's full deep-dive on REMS
with Australian expert and Bone Compass founder Dr David Tognarini.
Prune Study — 5 prunes/day for 12 months and bone health
FRAX Tool — country-specific fracture risk calculator — frax.shef.ac.uk
GP Osteoporosis Framework — for postmenopausal women & men over 50
Dr Doug Lucas — Optimal Human Health on YouTube @Dr_DougLucas (holistic + science-based)
Dr Vonda Wright — YouTube & podcast, musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause
Healthy Bones Australia — Osteoporosis & Fractures in Australia: Burden of Disease Analysis 2023–2033
This article is for information purposes only and is not medical advice. Always work with your own health team.
If you'd like to watch Anita talk about this on her podcast then click here!
To your brilliant bone health.
Anita xx .
Your bone health advocate :)
