Strong Bones

Brittle Bones, Calcium/Vitamin D & Bisphosphonates

Many patients have asked me excellent questions about bone health and osteoporosis. Below is some brief information on bone health. You should always discuss new symptoms and concerns with your personal doctor.

Osteoporosis increases your risk of hip, spine and other fractures.  Osteoporosis is a condition that affects older individuals or those who take steroids on a LONG term basis (such as prednisone). Postmenopausal women are at highest risk for osteoporosis.

There is much written in the popular press about bone health. More recently there has been a media scare about a class of drugs known as bisphosphonates (one example is alendronate or the brand name Fosamax). Fosamax (alendronate) is just one of the medications prescribed to treat osteoporosis.  It can significantly reduce your chances of a fracture IF you have osteoporosis. The media has hyped up reports of fractures and jaw bone necrosis. Both of these are very serious but rare. The risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw is between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 250,000 and this was in doses 10x higher than prescribed for osteoporosis.  Talk to your doctor and your pharmacist about your individual risk and the benefit of taking any medication to treat a disease.

In general women are at higher risk then men for osteoporosis. If you are a woman over the age of 65 talk to your doctor about a BONE DENSITY test known as DEXA.  You might need the test before age 65 if you smoke cigarettes or have a family history of osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor about the best time to have a DEXA test to screen for osteoporosis.

There is an online calculator to help you and your doctor calculate your risk of osteoporosis. Click on this link to calculate your score. Talk about your score with your doctor to determine if you simply need periodic monitoring or treatment for osteoporosis.

 

WHAT CAN I DO NOW?

Exercise, quitting smoking and a diet rich in calcium and Vitamin D can reduce your chances of osteoporosis and fracture. Try to get about 1,000mg to 1,200mg of calcium in your diet everyday. Also try to get about 600-800 IU of Vitamin D. Read food labels for totals in your foods. Supplement with an over the counter supplement with calcium and vitamin D available at your pharmacy.