Your Daughter’s Menstrual Cycle and Bone Health

Health and Wellness
Written By Jaylene Patelzick

The Foundation for Lifelong Strength

Photo by lauren lulu taylor on Unsplash

Did you know that adolescence is a critical window for building strong bones that will last a lifetime?  The International Osteoporosis Foundation states: 

“Childhood and adolescence are a very important time for the formation of the skeleton – the stage in which bones grow both in size and strength. This is the most important time to set a solid foundation for future bone health.”
— The International Osteoporosis Foundation

Research shows that hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle—particularly estrogen—play a key role in bone formation and calcium regulation. However, disruptions in this process, such as early menarche or irregular cycles, can have lasting impacts on bone health and overall well-being.

Here’s What You Need to Know:

1. Link Between Menstrual Health and Bone Strength

The menstrual cycle directly influences bone metabolism, with estrogen acting as a key player in promoting bone growth and density. Studies show that irregular cycles or hormonal imbalances during adolescence can lead to weaker bones and an increased risk of osteoporosis later in life.

2. Why Timing Matters: Early Menarche Risks

Early menarche (first menstruation before age 12) has been linked to a higher risk of health issues, including early epiphyseal growth plate fusion (leading to shorter height), type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. It can also negatively affect bone development, making it crucial to monitor and manage factors that influence its timing. 

“If someone reaches their first period before the age of 12, they are at a 20% increased risk for breast cancer”
— Lauren C. Houghton, Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University

3. What Influences Menarche and Bone Health?

Factors like access to healthy food, opportunities for physical activity, and exposure to harmful environmental substances–such as endocrine–disrupting chemicals, metals, and air pollution–play a big role in shaping when puberty begins and how menstrual cycles develop. Puberty is a critical period for bone development, as nearly 40% of bone mass is built during this time.

A healthy menstrual cycle plays a key role in this process because regular cycles help maintain the hormonal balance needed for bone growth.

• Nutrition and Lifestyle: A diet high in sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and low in calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients essential for bone health can disrupt hormonal balance and delay peak bone mass accumulation.

• Physical Activity: Weight-bearing or exercises that ‘load’ the skeleton enhance bone density, especially when paired with hormonal balance during the menstrual cycle.

• Environmental Factors: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in some plastics and personal care products may alter the timing of menarche and hormone function.

Practical Steps to Support Your Daughter’s Bone Health

• Prioritize Calcium and Vitamin D: Include bone-strengthening foods like:

  • dairy (healthy yogurt, cheese)

  • leafy greens

  • almonds

  • and good sources of protein in her diet

Consult a pediatrician to discuss testing for Vitamin D levels. If levels are low, supplementation may be recommended. Ensuring the body receives bioavailable vitamins can support the improvement and maintenance of healthy Vitamin D levels.

Diets are mainly composed of macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) and also of micronutrients like dietary calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D. Together, they are essential factors in promoting bone health and preventing bone loss (Source: Influence of Macronutrients on bone health).

• Limit Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: This can be tough because sugar is everywhere. Replace high fructose sodas and sugary drinks with: water, milk, or unsweetened options to reduce the risk of early menarche.

• Encourage Regular Exercise: Functional movement exercises that train your muscles to work together to help improve coordination, strength and balance to prepare them for daily tasks. These movements include exercises such as:

  • planks,

  • push-ups,

  • pull & push movements,

  • dancing,

  • sports

  • and light resistance band training

Regular exercise at an early age helps build stronger bones while supporting hormonal health

We reached out to Dr. Stacy Sim MSC, PhD, a leading expert in the field of international exercise physiology and nutrition science with regards to menstruating girls and exercise (In case you haven’t heard abut Dr. Sims, her TEDx Talks on Women are Not Small Men is incredible 👇).

“We are finding periods are starting earlier and earlier...the bodies are changing biomechanically as well as physiologically with the onset of the menstrual cycle hormone flux. In this, we look to have the girls do lots of functional type movements to build strength in their new movement patterns, then add load. This can start with body weight and resistance bands, then move to lighter dumbell or barbell movements with higher rep, then into a periodized strength training program. This would be over 12-18months, depending on how the girls respond.”
— Stacy Sims MSC, PHD 

As an avid athlete herself, Dr. Sims is paving the way for women in exercise nutrition and performance. Her reputation as the expert in sex differences in training, nutrition, and health has been getting the attention she deserves. For thousands of years studies for exercise, diet and nutrition have been conducted and modeled on male physiology. ‘It has long been assumed that women are just smaller versions of men,’ however this is not the case and Stacy is actively researching and using science-based strategies to help women perform with their physiology. 

Be on the lookout, in the next couple of months as Stacy will be releasing her new course called NextGen, which is for active teenage girls. To get more information sign-up to be on her email list at www.drsstacysims.com. 

Building a healthy foundation to help our children thrive

Here are some quick and easy ways to get our children into a healthy protocol of strength training. Start off with light weights and resistance bands. When traveling, we have taken advantage of resistance bands. However, it’s so important to help our children get into a culture of fitness.

Amazon Basics Neoprene Dumbbell Hand Weights (start with 5 lb weights) 👉https://amzn.to/3WymIST

Resistance bands 👉 https://amzn.to/4h6oQJY


It’s hard to jump into something without guidance on how to do it. After surfing Youtube for tools to help kids exercise, we were pleased to find a series of videos to help with this:

Exercise video for kids on Youtube:

9 Year Old Leads Tabata Workout For Kids (@JoahMoore) 💥 https://youtu.be/Z0qtgIEoIc8?si=Sj_AHcixcItN3fF3

“GET STRONG” Best Core Exercises For Kids (15 Minute Kids Workout) @GVOKids 👉 https://youtu.be/R9Fk-N9fMxk?si=tKeNGX1G4LtBJq8q

10-Minute Family Fun Cardio Exercise Workout (@fitbit) 👉 https://youtu.be/t7nrOBBfcYI?si=AHLiN4xAWjjpSePF

15-Minute Fun Family Cardio Workout With Deja Riley (@PSFit) 👉 https://youtu.be/GidfOb4bPFA?si=unbIMYvgfD0BF0UR

Be Proactive in Supporting a Healthier Lifestyle

Creating a healthier environment starts with small, impactful changes. By focusing on key areas like hormonal health and mindful product choices, you can make a big difference in overall well-being. Here’s how:

• Monitor Menstrual Health: Keep track of her cycles with either the Flo app or for iPhone users, the Health app. Consult a healthcare professional if irregularities persist. These could signal hormonal imbalances that might impact bone health.

• Reduce Exposure to Hormone Disruptors: Choose BPA-free products and minimize the use of heavily fragranced personal care items to reduce potential hormonal disruptions (avoiding exposure to EDCs: https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP13937)

• Shop Smarter with Free Apps: Use these tools to make informed choices about cleaner, healthier food and cosmetic products:

  • Think Dirty, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/think-dirty-shop-clean/id687176839

  • Yuka, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yuka-food-cosmetic-scanner/id1092799236

  • Consult the EWG Consumer Guides, an organization trying to help people make smarter choices, https://www.ewg.org/consumer-guides


• Use cleaner period products

  • Pinkie Period Pads for Tweens & Teens: Toxic-free, Organic pads by Pinkie are perfect 👉 https://amzn.to/40wD7se

  • Rael Pads for Women: Organic Cotton Cover 👉 https://amzn.to/4jvr7Qk

  • Getting Enough Sleep: School-age children need 9-12 hours of sleep a night. Insufficient sleep duration may be related to pubertal onset. Find tips to help your children with better sleep hygiene here.

Take Action Today

Your daughter’s health today is the foundation for her future. By focusing on proper nutrition, exercise, and menstrual health, you can help her achieve optimal bone strength and set her up for a lifetime of wellness.

Additional resources and cited references:

  • If you haven’t seen Dr. Stacy Sims on Huberman, you can check that out here 👇

Jaylene Patelzick https://www.simplydished.com
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