Beware of Osteoporosis Treatments

The annual cost of osteoporosis treatments in the USA is more than 10 billion dollars. Is this condition a normal consequence of the aging process, or is it the natural outcome of a poor diet?

Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and failing bone tissue.  It is prevalent in countries that consume excessive amounts of animal products.  Women seem more susceptible than men to this condition.

Osteoporosis Myth

"The myth that osteoporosis is caused by calcium deficiency was created to sell dairy products and calcium supplements.  There is no truth to it.  American women are among the biggest consumers of calcium in the world, and they still have one of the highest levels of osteoporosis in the world.  And eating even more dairy products and calcium supplements is not going to change that fact." John McDougall, MD

History of Osteoporosis, a Modern Disease

"Osteoporosis causing a calcium deficiency was created to sell dairy products and calcium supplements. There is no truth in it." Dr. John McDougallDr. John McDougall speaks out on the myth that osteoporosis is caused by calcium deficiency.

Osteoporosis and it's precursor, osteopenia, have struck fear in the lives of many postmenopausal women.  They have come to think that dairy is the way to insure adequate calcium in the diet to ward off osteoporosis.

Enter the Bone Mineral Density test (BMD).  The standard for defining the acceptable level of BMD was set up by the World Health Organization (WHO) with three studies funded by pharmaceutical companies.

The standard default age for the test was set at a 30 year old female.  We know that at this age women are at the high point of their mineral density for their child bearing years. As a woman ages, the bone structure needs naturally decline.  This natural change does not necessarily signal ill health. As a result of using the BMD test, almost 66% of women 40 years or older fail the test and have been changed forever from "healthy" to "sick."  This bogus testing program is labeled by many medical people as "disease mongering."

Creating a problem out of nothing, Dr. McDougall calls it the "Broken Bone Business." This system of testing and treatment has resulted in billions of dollars in the pockets of big pharma and the medical community.

A whole new market has been created with BMD testing.  The test guarantees the financial success for related drugs.  The "disease mongering" may not be in the best interest of the patient. When the vast majority of women take the BMD test and the results are not extreme but are below the safety level, they will be diagnosed with osteopenia.  It is usually not necessary to alarm the patient about this precondition, but this is where the prescription pad usually comes out.

The drugs of choice for osteopenia and osteoporosis treatments are hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and bisphosphonates such as Foxamax, Boniva, Actonel, Didronel, and Reclast.

Fosamax is in the same class of chemicals that you use for soap scum removal in your bathroom.

These type of drugs may be harmful to use with a diagnosis of osteopenia and increase the probability of a bone fracture.  BMD tests cannot forecast actual bone fractures.

So...What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is the result of a lack of structural material in the bone cells. Our bones are made up of minerals, fats, proteins and other substances.  Calcium and other elements are lost when the bone cells have been robbed of these elements to help neutralize the excess acid formation caused by the foods that most Americans eat.

Predominately acid diets, such as the Standard American Diet (SAD), are the causes of osteoporosis and guarantee that you will lose considerable calcium and minerals.

The Standard American Diet is a very SAD diet.This diet is very acid in the body and leads to diseases like osteoporosis.
Most vegetables, especially green ones, are alkaline foods that help limit the excretion of calcium from the body.These vegetables are very alkaline in the body.

The overall effect of the acid diets of the Western world is bone damage.

It is very important that your diet restricts acid forming foods such as animal products, dairy, processed foods and sugar.

Most vegetables, especially green ones, are alkaline foods that help limit the excretion of calcium and other minerals through the urine.

Hip Fractures

Most hip fractures occur late in life and are usually caused by a lack of strength and balancing skills, not bone density.

Some other reasons for hip fractures are: age, poor nutrition, smoking, effects of prescription drugs, sedentary lifestyle, declining health, and lack of sufficient vitamin D.

Bone health is directly proportional to muscle strength that moves the bone. When you stress the muscles the body responds by creating stronger bones.  This is the miraculous self healing body at work.

You can rebuild bone strength through exercise that is more effective than drugs.  You will not have to deal with the drug poison in your system and the side effects.

Side Effects, Risk and Benefits of Osteoporosis Treatments

Some of the effects of osteoporosis treatments (bisphosphonates) are:

  • Abdominal Pain
  • Atrial Fibrillation
  • Bone Pain
  • Esophagitis
  • Esophageal Cancer
  • Headache
  • Irregular Heartbeat
  • Muscle Cramping
  • Muscle Pain
  • Reflux Esophagitis
  • Stomach Ulcer
  • Stomach Upset
  • Swollen Ankles and Feet
  • Osteonecrosis of the Jaw or Dead Jaw

Let's review the risk and benefits of osteoporosis treatments.

If you are a candidate for treatment, your doctor may recommend HRT and Fosamax type drugs to reduce your risk.  If you ask what would be the benefit of these therapies, you may be told that without them you will double the risk of bone fractures.  This is known as the "relative risk reduction."

Through the manipulation of the drug trial study numbers, you will be offered the statistical data of "relative" numbers which is less than a 50% reduction of risk.

The data that you must ask for is the "absolute risk reduction" statistics of the therapies.  The real benefit of "absolute" numbers will usually be less than 2%...not worth taking these dangerous drugs for the rest of your life.

The treatment benefits are almost non-existent.  The real risk of fractures is very small without treatment.

In Summary

  • Osteopenia is a natural aging of the bone structure after the end of a woman's child bearing years.
  • Osteoporosis is the extreme results of the aging process that can result in major bone fractures in old age.
  • Diet plays a major part in the long term bone health as well as resistance exercise.
  • The acid body conditions caused by consuming excessive amounts of animal protein seem to be a major cause of bone loss.
  • The use of hormone replacement therapy and osteoporosis treatment drugs like bisphosphonates seem to offer little, if any help, in stopping the progression of bone depletion in the women over the age of 40 that have followed a high animal protein diet.
  • Eating a predominantly plant based diet along with regular exercise is the best insurance of strong bones throughout life.

          >Calcium Rich Foods