Antidepressants Linked To Bone Fractures

Ladies, your risk of bone fractures increases the minute you enter “the change of life”. But now, it turns out that those antidepressants, in particular selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), your doctor is prescribing to treat your menopause symptoms may actually increase your risk of bone fractures.

A bone to pick

According to a recent study, published in the journal Injury Prevention, menopausal women who took antidepressants were 76 per cent more likely to suffer a bone break. The drugs posing this risk include SSRIs like Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft.

According to Dr. Matthew Miller, the lead researcher of this latest study, the increased risk of bone fractures persists for at least 5 years following SSRI treatment.

The researchers added: “This finding is consistent with results from studies involving patients with mental health disorders. The sustained higher risk among SSRI users is also consistent with the biological hypothesis that fractures associated with SSRI use can be at least partially attributed to antidepressant-related modulation of bone homeostasis in favour of osteoclastic activity, which may result in lower bone mineral density and higher risks of fractures.”

SSRIs are regularly handed out to women dealing with the depression, fatigue and irritability of menopause. However, they don’t help in any way to correct menopausal hormonal imbalances like oestrogen loss, which trigger those uncomfortable hot flushes, distressing mood changes, and many other menopause symptoms. Not to mention the fact that SSRIs are known to cause side effects like headaches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and suicidal thoughts.

While prescribing these drugs is a very convenient and easy way for doctors to treat menopause symptoms, they are clearly very damaging to your health. So, if your menopause symptoms are making your life a misery, find a doctor in your area that specialises in bio-identical hormone therapy (BHRT).

Unlike conventional hormone therapy that uses synthetic or animal-based hormones, bio-identical hormones are biochemically identical to those made by the ovaries during a woman’s reproductive years.

By testing hormone levels — and optimising them through BHRT — a doctor specialising in this field may be able to help you feel like your old self in no time.

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Disclaimer: Bear in mind the material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.

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Sources:

Antidepressants Linked to Bone Fractures in Menopausal Women, published online 26.06.2015, everydayhealth.com