IS IT POSSIBLE THAT DRUGS TO PROTECT YOUR BONES MAY THEM WEAKER? If you understand the dynamic process of bone, you will know the answer to this is yes. Our bones are constantly remodeling based upon stresses placed upon them (Wolfe’s law), and this requires bone breakdown (to clean out the old stuff) and replace with new bone.
A typical vertebral body may have hundreds of microfractures as a normal process. So what happens when you use a drug like Fosomax or Boniva to stop the breakdown of bone? These drugs do NOT add bone, they just stop the breakdown. There is mounting evidence that fracture rate drops for a few years, but after that the rates go up. Patients also begin to experience fractures in unusual areas.
The problem is that most doctors will keep patients on these drugs for years and years, even AFTER their bone density have improved. Worse, we are using these drugs for patients with osteopenia, for which there is NO evidence for their use. That means it is likely that these patients will be on the drugs for even longer.
Even more scary is the strong links between bone health, the gut and weight–yes, bone plays a role in our weight. Want to improve bone health? Exercise, healthy fats, Vit D and a plant based diet. Also, I strongly encourage anyone in their 20’s, 30’s or 40’s to have their bone density checked. Don’t wait until the crisis stage. We do bone density testing every few months in our office and I encourage everyone to get tested.