Osteoporosis Drugs Now Deemed Beneficial

Prior studies along with patient reports had shown that even though osteoporosis drugs strengthen bones, it was discovered that these drugs over the last four years appeared to be breaking bones instead of strengthening them.

Now a new study from researchers of the Linkoping University in Sweden, reveal that osteoporosis drugs such as Fosamax and Boniva, had only caused one broken femur each year among the 2,000 people who had used these drugs.

According to Dr. Aurelia Nattivi, director of the UCLA Osteoporosis Center, the benefits from these drugs do outweigh the risks. He further notes this study is encouraging for it provides another piece of evidence from a large amount of patients that the drugs are good and side effects are infrequent.

Osteoporosis is a disease that raises a person's chance for risks and fractures with aging. Sometimes the fractures have serious outcomes. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, around ten million Americans have osteoporosis. Among that number half of all women and a quarter of men over the age of fifty will endure an osteoporosis fracture at some time in their life. These fractures can occur in any bone but usually are in the hips, spine and wrists.

Osteoporosis medications called bisphosphonates, perform by slowing down the cells which break down the old bone tissue to make room for new bone.

According to Dr. Nattivi, these drugs have been available for sixteen years. They also rapidly became the "gold standard" of osteoporosis treatment.

This newest study appears in the New England Journal of Medicine which is published this month. In the study, every Swedish woman at least 55 years old and had a femur fracture in 2008, in the thigh bone had been included. Researchers had examined x-rays of women with likely atypical fractures and found 59 cases.

Among the 59 women, 46 of them had taken bisphosphonates out of a total of 83,311 Swedish women who had taken drugs that year. The other 13 women had taken no drugs along with another 1.47 million Swedish women. The fracture rate turned out to be less than 0.001%.

Researchers had adjusted for patient ages, then calculated that taking drugs raised the risk of an atypical fracture by 47%. Dr. Per Aspenberg, co-author of the study notes that even it may seem like a lot, patients should be reassured that very few women ever endure a break if they are or not taking the drugs.

Dr. David Newman, director of clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York had commented that these drugs ability to prevent fractures have been proven beyond a doubt. In his calculations he notes that for every 100 women taking these drugs for a period of three years, six women will avoid fractures. The protection offered is greatest for the spine which yields one in twenty and one in 100 for hip fractures. Dr. Newman does caution that these figures are only for those with established low bone density or history of fractures. In persons without these criteria the benefits vanish.

Dr. Newman continues to notes that the rare side effects are very real. These drugs have also been associated to osteonecrosis of the jaw. Dr. Newmans concern is that huge marketing campaigns of these drugs may place them in hands of those who really do not need the drugs. These people would be taking risks without any benefits.

For those who do not wish to take these drugs and those who wish to have aide in prevention, there are some alternative options that are drug free.

A few of these are:

DHEA: natural processor to testosterone and progesterone and other steroid hormones. In supplement form when taken it provides a vast variety of benefits. Research just recently has shown that when giving 50 mg of this supplement every day for one year to women 55 and older. The results showed it had raised the blood levels of the bone making hormones and had improved bone makers on bone turnover of BMD of lumbar spine.

Protein: in proper amounts is essential as we age in order to preserve our bone mass. Not having the proper amounts increase the risk for falls and hip fractures. Excellent sources of animal protein include poultry, fish, eggs and diary products. Dairy foods provide additional benefits for they are a source of wealth of calcium.

Fruits and veggies: will provide the whole array of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and alkaline salt. Studies have revealed that a higher intake of these is associated with benefits that result in bone density in both men and women.

Among other essentials in vitamins and minerals include magnesium, vitamin K, Zinc and the B6, 12 along with folic acid.

There are a host of foods and herbs which aide in bone health such as peppers, garlic and onions.

Do not forget exercise as it is part of good bone health. Walking is a simple way to achieve good bone health and easy to accomplish.

Exercise aides in the prevention of osteoporosis while it increases joint and bone health along with all those extra benefits like good posture and muscle tone.

Among the recommended exercises for prevention is Tai Chi, yoga, strength and weigh bearing exercises. Sources:

LA Times

Health Tree

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