And what of the strongest argument in favor of estrogen replacement – that it can reduce bone loss?  Several hundred thousand Chinese women appear to refute that claim too.  Incidence of osteoporosis in China is low – without the use of estrogen or even calcium-rich dairy products.  The motherly advice of “Drink your milk so you’ll grow up to be big and strong” echoes in our memory banks, but Mom wasn’t telling us the whole story.  Calcium alone doesn’t build bones.  Rather, calcium and magnesium are both needed in the proper amounts to ensure bone development in youth and maintain bone density in mid and later years.

Too much calcium can be a bad thing, since excess calcium can reduce magnesium levels.  Diets high in red meat – the typical American fare-release phosphorus into the bloodstream, causing calcium loss.  (As more phosphorus is released, calcium must be drawn from the bones to maintain the proper calcium-phosphorus balance.)

Soft drinks, sugar, salt, caffeine, and alcohol consumers beware! Soft drinks contain high amounts of phosphorus; sugar causes calcium to leach from the bones; salt and caffeine induce the kidneys to excrete calcium; and alcohol retard bone growth.  Add to this the fact that the average menopausal American consumes less than two-thirds the U.S. recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium, and the high incidence of osteoporosis in this country should come as no surprise.

Estrogen replacement, however, is not the end-all-and-be-all.  Given its potentially life-threatening side effects, estrogen could be the last resort-not the first choice.  And many women cannot take estrogen even if they wanted to because of a history of cancers or tumors.  Yet no woman need suffer unpleasant menopausal symptoms when natural alternatives are available to help.