Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Osteoprosis poses a serious health risk for women. According to Natural News, women have a higher risk of dying from the bone condition than from breast cancer. But the treatment may be just as dangerous.

Fosamax is in a class of drugs called bisphosphonates (also called diphosphonates) that inhibit osteoclast action and the resorption of bone. It is one of the more popular choices for the treatment of osteoporosis. Natural News warns that Fosamax has been shown to increase the risk of ulcers, especially if taken with anti-inflammatory drugs. The publication also questions whether the medication actually strengthens the bone or makes it weaker.

Fosamax may also carry an even more serious risk. Over the past few years, doctors have reported an increased risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw, or ONJ. ONJ is a severe bone disease that causes a reduced blood supply to the bones of the jaw and results in damage or death to the jaw bone. Severe cases ONJ require the removal of the affected bone. Studies suggest the recent dramatic increase in the number of cases of ONJ may be linked to the use of bisphosphonate therapy, such as Fosamax. Diagosis of ONJ often has followed dental extraction where there was lack of healing, and spontaneous exposure of the cortical bone tissue.

Not surprisingly, Natural News suggests a more natural approach to treating osteoporosis. The publication suggests a diet rich in vegetables and herbs will improve bone metabolism far more effectively than diary products. And prevention is always the best course. Natural News suggests a diet high in fruits, vegetables and protein will help women arm themselves in the bone density battle.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 at 4:25 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.