A RECENT study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has established that women with osteoporosis suffered fewer fractures after treatment with estrogen. Osteoporosis is a potentially debilitating disease characterised by weakened bones and an increased risk of fractures. Estrogen is already being used to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

In the study, conducted at Mayo Clinic in Rochester in USA, the hormone was administered through skin patches. Though previous studies have shown that estrogen strengthens bones, this is the first study to demonstrate such treatment is effective in reducing the fracture rate, according to Edward Lufkin, one of the researchers.