Drugs to Prevent Bone Loss Have Serious Side Effects

If you are a regular reader of this blog, it will come as no surprise that I have distrust for most drugs. It is my opinion, as with other chiropractors, that the healthiest body functions without drugs and surgery. A prime example of this are drugs that were considered wondrous just a few years ago to prevent osteoporosis and bone loss. The name brand that comes to mind is Fosamax.

An article published on Naturalnews.com reviews some of the serious side effects that were known and became known when using bisphosphonate drugs.

In 874 patient ratings since 2001, women as young as 32 recount being advised by doctors to take Merck's Fosamax, approved in 1995, and other bone drugs called bisphosphonates. Many were scared into using the drugs by readings from bone density machines now known to have been planted by drug companies and by encroaching "osteopenia," the risk of osteoporosis-a term made up by pharma.

A 2005 article in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism called "Severely Suppressed Bone Turnover: A Potential Complication Of Alendronate Therapy" warned of patients on Fosamax having "increased susceptibility to, and delayed healing of, nonspinal fractures."

And articles citing "atypical skeletal fragility," "subtrochanteric stress fractures" and "low-energy femoral shaft fractures" on bisphosphonates have appeared in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Journal of Orthopedic Trauma and the journal Injury.

In 2008 the FDA issued a warning that women on bisphosphonates developed "incapacitating bone, joint, and muscle (musculoskeletal) pain," from which some did not recover.

FDA waved Fosamax through so quickly-six months after its new drug application-Merck had to send a Dear Physician letter months later warning of esophageal side effects "of greater severity than we observed in our controlled clinical trials.

The article also reviews some of the admitted conflicts of interest in the studies that were done, with the majority of doctors and scientists being compensated by the pharmaceutical company of the drugs being studied.

It goes to show you that there is no way of tricking the body without paying a price. These drugs are perfect examples considering the drug that is meant to prevent bone loss to avoid fracture, increases the chance of fracture. As well as esophageal cancer.

Dr. Graeme Gibson, D.C.
Seattle Chiropractor
http://www.queenannechiro.com
Queen Anne Chiropractic Center
1905 Queen Anne Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 282-8275