This cross-sectional study evaluated the distribution of serum cross-linked C-telopeptides of collagen type I (βCTXs) in postmenopausal women, the characteristics of bone remodeling, and the factors influencing this bone marker, especially the use of anti-osteoporotic drugs. Women (n = 4,175) aged 59-70 years randomly selected from the community were invited to participate, measuring βCTXs and lumbar and femoral bone mineral density at recruitment. Risk factors for osteoporosis and the use of anti-osteoporotic treatment were collected with a structured questionnaire. We evaluated the percentage of women with increased (βCTXs >0.620 ng/mL) and decreased bone turnover (βCTXs <0.100 ng/mL) and those reaching the so-called treatment target (values of βCTXs within the lower half of the reference range for healthy young premenopausal women). Two thousand nine hundred sixty-eight women (70 %) participated (2,405 non-treated and 563 treated). Increased and decreased bone turnover was observed in 16.4 and 1.8 %, respectively, of non-treated women with significant differences compared with treated women (9.7 and 14.2 %, respectively, p < 0.001); 28 % of non-treated osteoporotic individuals had increased bone turnover versus 14 % of osteopenic participants and 8.8 % of women with normal bone density (p < 0.001). Women receiving bisphosphonates presented the highest percentages of decreased bone turnover (27 %) and βCTXs (43 %) within the treatment target. Increased bone turnover is observed in 16.4 % of non-treated postmenopausal women and is more frequent in individuals with osteoporosis, whereas decreased bone turnover is unusual. Most participants taking bisphosphonates had values within the treatment target, but nearly one quarter had decreased bone turnover.