A new study ties early menopause to osteoporosis, the disease of progressive bone loss associated with an increased risk of fractures. The 29-year study, from researchers at the Skane University Hospital in Malmö, Sweden, indicates that women who go through menopause early are twice as likely to suffer from osteoporosis later in life.

Our friends at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) offer more information on osteoporosis, which literally means porous bone and often develops unnoticed for many years.

Osteoporosis is one of the most common bone ailments, affecting nearly 28 million Americans and resulting in roughly 1.5 million bone fractures each year. Often, hip replacement results from this disease, with hip fractures totaling more than $10 billion annually, according to AAOS.

There are four main causes of osteoporosis: aging, heredity, nutrition and lifestyle, and medications or other illnesses. That last reason might surprise you, but osteoporosis has been linked to certain medications, like steroids, which make bones brittle over time.

For more information on osteoporosis and osteopenia, check out OAZ’s earlier blog posts.