Bone loss in women can begin much earlier than expected. Here’s what a functional medicine practitioner wants you to know. The conventional medical narrative tells women to start worrying about osteoporosis around menopause, framing bone loss as an inevitable consequence of plunging estrogen. While that hormonal shift certainly accelerates the process, it doesn’t initiate it. The ground for frail bones at 60 is actually prepared at 38, driven by a silent, decade-long collapse of muscle mass and metabolic infrastructure. Essentially, nearly half the cohort was actively losing muscle long before perimenopause even began. Bone loss in women can begin much earlier than expected. (Pexel)​Also read | Orthopaedic surgeon explains why bones are central to fitness; shares 3 ways to improve bone health in your routineThe muscle-bone breakdown pathwayIn an interview with HT Lifestyle, Tanya Malik Chawla, functional medicine practitioner and nutrigenomics researcher, revealed reasons that could be causing women to lose bone strength earlier. Tanya said, “Muscle and bone are deeply connected; they don’t function as separate systems. When the diet is consistently low in protein, which is common among many urban Indian women, the body enters a catabolic state, breaking down its own muscle tissue for amino acids.”That catabolic state has three direct consequences for bone:Mechanical unloading: According to Tanya, bone-building cells (osteoblasts) are activated when muscles create stress and pressure on bones during movement. When muscle mass deteriorates, this important stimulus disappears, allowing bone-resorbing cells (osteoclasts) to weaken and break down bone unchecked.Bone-building cells (osteoblasts) are activated when muscles create stress and pressure on bones during movement. (Pexel)The energy cascade: “When there isn’t enough protein or strength training, the body produces energy less efficiently,” Tanya highlighted. Since building and maintaining bone needs a lot of energy, the body focuses less on bone repair when resources are low.Androgen silent signal: “In the same cohort, 0% of the women had optimal DHEAS levels (measures levels of a steroid hormone that your body uses to make estrogen and testosterone),” Tanya told HT Lifestyle. This hormone helps support muscle growth and bone strength. When both DHEAS and protein levels are low, the body loses the key signals needed to build and maintain bone.Shift from exercise to progressive overloadBone is not a static structure. It is a dynamic, responsive organ. It remodels continuously in response to mechanical stress. That stress, the right kind, at the right dose, is called hormesis.Culturally, Indian women are often advised to take a morning walk or practice light yoga. While beneficial for general mobility, these activities do not create hormesis, the specific, progressive mechanical overload required to force bone remodeling.When there isn’t enough protein or strength training, the body produces energy less efficiently, (Unsplash)According to Tanya, India faces one of the highest global burdens of osteoporosis, with the youngest age of onset. This is not a calcium deficiency crisis. It is a direct result of protein-light diets, a lack of heavy resistance training, and overlooked androgen depletion. To change the trajectory of women's bone health, the intervention cannot wait for hormone therapy at 52. The shift to high protein, progressive resistance load, and metabolic support must begin at 35.Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.Anukriti Srivastava thrives at the intersection of words and voice, where journalism meets storytelling. A digital editor and journalist with over 5 years of experience, she has written across lifestyle, women issues, relationships, entertainment, fashion, and travel. She did her Masters in Broadcast Journalism and has published more than 500+ lifestyle content pieces across platforms.