Did You Know…conventional osteoporosis drugs can have horrific side effects, while natural treatments are proven safe and effective?
When Emmy Costello went to the dentist to get a cavity filled, she had no way of knowing the devastating turn her life was about to take. She thought she was there for a simple, in-and-out procedure, but things started falling apart when her dentist explained to her that she had developed an infection and needed a root canal.
After countless trips to doctors’ offices, the pain and swelling became so severe that an oral surgeon removed her tooth completely. Then after months of serious antibiotics, an oncologist at the Huntsman Cancer Center finally pinpointed the cause of Emmy Costello’s medical nightmares: a bisphosphonate called Fosamax that she was taking for osteoporosis.
Though she did not actually have osteoporosis, a bone scan at her general practitioner’s office indicated she was “at risk.” Ms. Costello later learned that thebone density scanner had been paid for and installed by Merk, the drug company that makes Fosamax. According to a National Public Radio report, Merk installed these scanners in medical offices across the United States in an attempt to frighten women into believing their thinning bones required a pharmaceutical intervention.
Merk’s Multi-Billon Dollar Baby
The same year Emmy Costello scheduled her disastrous cavity filling, Fosamax earned Merk 3.2 billion dollars. The popular prescription treatment option for osteoporosis and osteopenia (pre-osteoporosis) slows resorption—the breakdown phase of bone development. Proponents of biophosphonates like Fosamax believe that by slowing resorbtion, the drugs increase bone density.
However, a news bulletin from Harvard Medical School explained that long-term use of biophosphonates may undermine bone health. Studies indicate that Fosamax can impair the formation of new bone… decreased the bone’s capacity to repair microdamage from normal wear and tear… and lead to “hyperminealization,” a condition which bones become more brittle and less resilient.
Doctors Recommend… a Dose of Common Sense
Osteoporosis is a classic “silent disease,” often the symptoms of bone loss go unnoticed until a fracture calls attention to the issue. As with a multitude of other conditions, the best treatment for osteoporosis is prevention. Experts from the University of Maryland Medical Center place a priority on a well balanced diet, regular exercise, and all-around healthy lifestyle choices.
“Eating fruits and vegetables and consuming adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D are crucial in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis,” the UMMC experts said. For optimal bone health, they suggest you monitor your levels of these key minerals such as magnesium, folate, and phosphorus. Maintaining proper levels of vitamins B12, B6, C, and K is also crucial, as is weight-bearing exercise.
Finally, maintaining healthy bones may mean dialing down intake of animal protein and other mineral depleting substances. According to the Physicans Committee for Responsible Medicine, “The loss of bone mineral probably results from a combination of genetics and dietary and lifestyle factors, particularly the intake of animal protein, salt, and possibly caffeine, along with tobacco use, physical inactivity, and lack of sun exposure.”
