Oestrogen therapy is effective in reducing bone loss even if given many years after menopause to women with osteoporosis. There is some evidence that it actually increases bone formation slightly, and that it may also reduce bone pain if this is a problem. Progestogens, testosterone and anabolic steroids (sometimes used to treat osteoporosis that causes debilitating pain in the spine) are also capable of preventing bone loss after menopause, but are not so widely used. The current evidence suggests that treatment with hormones will benefit women up to the age of at least seventy. Follow-up and monitoring, usually at intervals of six to twelve months, are essential to check on side effects and to ensure that the therapy has effectively stopped bone loss.
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