How Bone Loss Can Lead to Memory Loss

 

If you’re like most people, you don’t think much about bone density until something breaks. But memory? That’s different. When we forget a name, misplace our glasses, or walk into a room and can’t remember why, it sticks with us. It makes us pause and worry about the fear of forgetting and slowly losing ourselves.

And now, science is giving us another reason to pay attention. Because bone health and brain health may be more connected than we ever imagined. In fact, low bone mineral density, or BMD, is now being linked to cognitive decline and even Alzheimer’s disease.

So What’s the Connection Between Your Bones and Your Brain?

It turns out your bones and brain communicate more than we once thought. Through hormones, immune signals, and shared biological pathways, the condition of your bones can affect the condition of your brain. One of the most important players in this relationship is estrogen.
This hormone helps protect bone density, but it also plays a major role in brain function. After menopause, women experience a sharp drop in estrogen. This loss accelerates bone thinning and may leave the brain more vulnerable to the structural changes seen in Alzheimer’s.
Several large studies have now found that lower bone density is often present long before memory issues appear. People with lower BMD, especially in the hip area, tend to show shrinkage in parts of the brain like the hippocampus and temporal lobes. These areas are crucial for memory and are some of the first to show damage in Alzheimer’s disease.
A Closer Look at the Science: 3 Major Studies That Changed the Conversation

Published in Neurology in 2023, this large prospective cohort followed 3,651 older adults over a median of 11 years. None had dementia at the start of the study. Researchers measured bone mineral density (BMD) using DXA scans and tracked who went on to develop Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

The findings were striking:

  • A lower BMD at the femoral neck was associated with a 43% higher risk of dementia within the first 10 years.

  • The lowest bone density group had double the risk of developing Alzheimer’s compared to those with higher BMD.

  • This association remained significant even after adjusting for genetic risk factors (like APOE4), cardiovascular health, and lifestyle factors.

What this suggests: Bone loss may precede and possibly contribute to early neurodegeneration. In other words, declining bone health could be a canary in the coal mine for Alzheimer’s risk.

Conducted on more than 13,000 healthy adults aged 65 to 82, this 2023 analysis used voxel-based morphometry to investigate the relationship between BMD and brain structure.

In women with low bone density, researchers found decreased gray matter in brain areas that are affected in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, including:

  • The hippocampus.

  • Parahippocampal gyrus

  • Temporal poles

  • Superior frontal and middle temporal gyri

  • Precuneus and cingulate cortex

In men, the effects were less pronounced but still present in regions like the basal forebrain and subcallosal area.

These structural changes were observed in individuals without diagnosed neurodegenerative disease, suggesting that low BMD may reflect early, silent brain changes that precede symptoms.

Published in Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders, this 2021 study examined 1,599 participants with an average age of 66. None had dementia at the time. Researchers compared BMD to cognitive performance and MRI-based brain imaging.

Key findings:

  • Higher femoral neck BMD was associated with better executive function (as measured by Trails B-A tests) and lower white matter hyperintensity burden, which reflects vascular damage in the brain.

  • Absorbed without needing peptides or vitamin D

  • Calcium ions enter the bloodstream and cells intact, enabling immediate support for osteoblast activity and bone matrix repair

  • Small-batch, artisanal production ensures potency, purity, and maximum bioactivity.

Conclusion: Bone density is not only linked to brain structure, but also to how well the brain functions, especially in domains that tend to decline early in dementia.

Why Bone Loss Might Impact the Brain

There are several biological mechanisms that explain why osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s may be linked:

  • Hormonal decline: Estrogen plays a vital role in both bone preservation and neural protection. It reduces oxidative stress, inhibits beta-amyloid buildup, and supports synaptic plasticity. After menopause, the sharp drop in estrogen can accelerate both bone loss and neurodegeneration.
  • Calcium misregulation: As bones weaken, calcium is often misdirected to soft tissues, including blood vessels and the brain. This calcification has been implicated in neuroinflammation and cellular toxicity that damage neurons over time.
  • Chronic inflammation: Low-grade systemic inflammation, common in osteoporosis, is also a major factor in Alzheimer’s pathology. It disrupts both bone remodeling and brain integrity.
  • Shared risk factors: Physical inactivity, nutritional deficiencies, vascular disease, and oxidative stress all contribute to both low BMD and cognitive decline.
Who Is Most at Risk?

  • Women over 65: especially post-menopause, are at higher risk due to the sudden decline in estrogen.

  • Men aren’t immune: though men’s bone loss tends to be slower. Studies still show that low bone density in older men is linked to decreased gray matter and higher dementia risk.

  • Anyone with certain lifestyle factors: low physical activity, poor nutrition, chronic stress, smoking, high alcohol intake, or long-term medication use (like corticosteroids) can experience faster bone loss.
What Causes Bone Loss and Alzhiemer’s?

There’s no single cause. Bone density naturally decreases with age, but certain factors speed it up.

Bone loss can happen for many reasons:

  • Hormonal changes, especially after menopause and estrogen deficiency.
  • Nutritional deficiencies, including calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K2
  • Chronic inflammation, which breaks down bone and affects brain signaling
  • Sedentary lifestyle, which weakens both bone strength and neuroplasticity
  • Stress, which raises cortisol and affects both bone metabolism and brain function

Alzheimer’s itself is caused by a mix of factors:

  • Genetics like carrying the APOE4 gene
  • Environmental exposure like heavy metals or long-term inflammation
  • Lifestyle habits that either protect or accelerate brain aging

While we can’t change our genetics, we can control many of the environmental and lifestyle risks starting with strengthening the foundation of our health: our bones.

That’s where prevention becomes powerful.

 

What Can You Do to Reduce Your Risk?

While we can’t change our genetics, we can significantly reduce external risk factors. Here’s how:

  • Stay physically active with weight-bearing exercise
  • Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol
  • Support hormonal balance post-menopause
  • Prioritize anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense foods
  • Remove environmental toxins wherever possible
  • Use scientifically backed supplements to restore balance
How Marah Natural Can Help?

Marah Natural, we take a different approach to aging. Our goal isn’t just to delay decline. We focus on rebuilding and restoring at the cellular level using our proprietary SAC® Formulation Technology.

Marah-Cel
For Bone Strength and Rebuilding

Marah-Cel isn’t your typical supplement. It helps deliver calcium ions directly into your cells without needing peptides or vitamin D. This helps bypass the absorption issues that many people face as they age. Marah-Cel helps remove harmful calcium buildup from soft tissues and directs it back into the bones where it belongs. Over time, this helps rebuild real bone structure and strength, not just maintain it.

Alzi-Cel
For Brain Support and Memory Protection

Alzi-Cel is designed to complement Marah-Cel by supporting the brain. It uses SAC® formula to help your bone cells and neurons receive the calcium they need to communicate clearly and function properly. It also includes GABA, a calming neurotransmitter that reduces inflammation and helps regulate mood and focus.