Osteoporosis and Depression Linked

Even mild depression can be a cause for bone thinning, osteoporosis, in premenopausal women. The findings are from a study funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health and the National Institutes of Health. They add considerable credibility to preliminary studies that show depression is a risk factor for lower than average bone mass in younger women.

“Osteoporosis is a silent disease. Too often the first symptom a clinician sees is when a patient shows up with a broken bone. Now we know that depression can serve as a red flag,” said NIMH Deputy Director Richard Nakamura, PhD.

Study participants were premenopausal women from 21 to 45 years old. 89 were depressed and 44 were not. Except for depression, all other risk factors were equal. The women were at a relatively high socioeconomic status and well nourished. Although the depressed women were on anti-depressant medication, the study indicated that was not a factor in increased bone loss, which was measured using an X-ray technique called DXA scanning. Severity of depression was not a factor either.

17% of the depressed women showed thinner bones in the femoral neck compared with 2% in the non-depressed group. 20% of the depressed participants had low bone mass in the lumbar spine and the lower back as opposed to 9% for non-depressed women.

Blood and urine samples, taken every hour for a full day, also showed that the depressed women had imbalances in immune-system substances including IL-6 which is known to promote bone loss. That re-enforced earlier studies with similar findings.

“Depression generally isn’t on clinicians’ radar screen as a major risk factor for osteoporosis, particularly for premenopausal women,” says Cizza. “And it should be.”