[The osteoprotective effect of ovarian hormones]

Osteoporosis is regarded as a disease of the systems controlling bone evolution. Estrogen modulates such a control system; without estrogen 50% of bone is not formed to the peak bone mass or may be lost lateron. Substitution with estrogen can be interpreted as a natural right of the women in our society. Estrogen modulates by dynamic hormonal system the genexpression in bone and determines its three-dimensional architecture. Substitution with estrogen has to consider the individual genetic situation of each women and its biographic and health situation. Individual estrogen substitution is not fully realized yet but estrogen substitution prevents osteoporosis effectively. We question if senile osteoporosis exists at all if there were no estrogen deficiency.