Building Stronger Bones — and a Stronger You

Written By Dr Audrey Lee

More women—and an increasing number of men—are being told they have osteopenia or osteoporosis, often unexpectedly and often without clear guidance on what to do next.

For many, it raises quiet questions about strength, confidence, and long-term independence.

Bone loss is not the end of the story. It’s information — and information gives us the opportunity to act.

Bone Health Is About More Than Bone

Osteoporosis rarely develops in isolation. Bone loss is closely linked to muscle loss, strength decline, and hormonal shifts that occur with aging — particularly during menopause in women.

This connection is best understood through a condition called sarcopenia.

What Is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function. It affects both men and women as we age, though certain life stages—such as menopause—can accelerate the process in women. Across adults, sarcopenia is influenced by several overlapping factors, including:

• Age-related declines in hormones (including estrogen and testosterone)
• Reduced muscle protein synthesis
• Increased inflammation
• Physical inactivity

Why does this matter? Muscle applies mechanical force to bone. Less muscle means less stimulus for bone maintenance, increasing fracture risk.

In short: weak muscles and weak bones tend to progress together.
Strength is not just protective — it is predictive of long-term independence.

Across sexes, resistance training remains the most effective intervention we have to preserve muscle, protect bone, and maintain independence with age (Wright et al., 2024).

While musculoskeletal aging affects all adults, women experience a distinct acceleration during the menopausal transition.

Menopause and the Musculoskeletal System

During menopause, hormonal shifts affect the entire musculoskeletal system—not just bone density. Research on the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause, described by Dr. Wright and colleagues, shows increases in:

  • Bone breakdown

  • Muscle loss

  • Inflammation and oxidative stress

  • Declines in strength, balance, and recovery

These changes raise the risk of falls, fractures, and loss of independence—but they are modifiable.

The encouraging reality is that these systems remain responsive to the right type of stimulus, even later in life.

Why Resistance Training Matters

Resistance training is one of the most effective tools we have to counter musculoskeletal decline.

A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis examining resistance training in healthy postmenopausal women found significant improvements in:

  • • Lower-body strength

  • • Upper-body strength

  • • Aerobic capacity (VO₂max)

González-Gálvez and colleagues concluded that resistance training performed approximately three days per week, in 60-minute sessions, improves physical fitness and quality of life in postmenopausal women (González-Gálvez et al., 2024).

While changes in bone mineral density can vary, improvements in strength, balance, and functional capacity are critical for reducing real-world fracture risk. This aligns with broader evidence emphasizing the importance of progressive loading and higher-intensity resistance training for postmenopausal bone health (Kumar et al., 2025).

The physiological principles underlying these adaptations apply across sexes, as resistance training remains foundational for healthy aging in both men and women.

Bone health is not just about density—it’s about what your body can safely do.

Strength training doesn’t just change numbers on a scan—it changes how safely and confidently you move through daily life.

Not all movement sends the same biological signal to bone.

Bone Responds to the Right Kind of Stress

Bone is living tissue. It responds to:

  • • Progressive loading

  • • Weight-bearing movements

  • • Consistent resistance training

General movement is beneficial, but bone adapts best to intentional, progressive strength training (Kumar et al., 2025).

Creatine + Resistance Training:
A Supportive Strategy

What is creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in the body and in foods like meat and fish. It plays a key role in cellular energy production, particularly in muscle tissue.

While creatine is often associated with bodybuilding, research over the past two decades has shown it to be one of the most studied and well-tolerated supplements for supporting muscle strength, recovery, and physical function—especially in midlife and older adults.

Creatine is not a hormone, stimulant, or performance enhancer in the way many people assume. It simply helps the body do the work it is already capable of doing more effectively (Kreider et al., 2017).

Emerging research suggests that creatine supplementation, when combined with resistance training, may further support musculoskeletal health in older adults (Devries & Phillips, 2014).

Studies show associations with improvements in:

  • • Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress

  • • Lower markers of bone loss

  • • Increased osteoblast (bone-building cell) activity

  • • Increased lean mass

  • • Higher IGF-1 and other anabolic growth factors

Creatine does not replace training—but it may enhance the body’s adaptive response to strength work, particularly in populations at higher risk for muscle and bone loss.

Importantly, creatine is optional — strength training remains the foundation of bone and muscle health.

From Awareness to Action

If you’ve been told you have bone loss, the most important question isn’t whether things can change — it’s what you do next.

Strong bones are built through:

  • Strength training

  • Progressive challenge

  • Adequate recovery

  • Supportive nutrition

  • Consistency over time

Bone loss is information—not a verdict.

While the principles in this article apply to both men and women, many women ask what this looks like in a structured, supportive setting.

Ready to Train With Purpose?

If you’re ready to move from information to implementation, the next step is structured, progressive strength training.

Power for Life™ is a focused 4-week longevity performance block designed to build strength, power, balance, and structural resilience — the qualities required to stay capable on the slopes, on the course, and in everyday life for decades to come.

Each cohort is intentionally limited to ensure personalized coaching, measurable progression, and a training environment built on precision — not volume.

For those seeking individualized programming, I also offer private longevity-focused training for both men and women.

The objective is not simply stronger bones.
It is sustained strength, capability, and independence for the decades ahead.

References

Dr Audrey Lee https://www.powertoshred.com
Next

Can Exercise Slow Aging at the Cellular Level?