New Treatments for Osteoporosis

An estimated 10 million people suffer from osteoporosis. There are another estimated 34 million people considered to have low bone mass, which puts them at a higher risk for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a bone loss condition that causes bone mass to become depleted. It weakens the bones, causing them to become brittle and easily suffer breaks.

Etronidate

• According to Dr. Tommy Storm of Sundby Hospital in Copenhagen, it has been reported that women treated with etidronate disodium along with calcium for a three-year period had fewer fractures of the spine over a controlled number of women who took a placebo medication, as well as calcium for a comparison.

  Etidronate works by preventing calcium from being lost from the bone. It was discovered that the women who took the etidronate had an average of only six fractures per 100 patients, as compared to those who took placebo pills. Those who took the placebos had 54 fractures per 100 patients, but neither of the groups gained enough bone over the period of time to make their bone mass normal.

Hormones

• A combination of hormones, progesterone and estrogen, has been discovered to be far more effective than just one hormone, estrogen. For years, only estrogen was given to treat and help prevent osteoporosis. Since then, it has been determined that the male hormone progesterone has a bigger impact on strengthening bones than the female hormone estrogen. There is a combination of hormones in one pill, today, called Estratest. It has been proven that Estratest strengthens bones in women. There is also a male hormone called nandrolone and another called tibilone that has been used in many countries other than the United States, to strengthen bones. Tibilone has shown good results in strengthening bones and appears safe. There are no signs of women having such problems as growing hair on their faces or bodies, which can be a side effect of some male hormones. Diuretics are also known to strengthen bones. For women with high blood pressure, there can be double the benefits with diuretics.

Strontium Ranelate

• Strontium is a medication that has been studied over 50 years. After its discovery to aid in osteoporosis, another medication was soon added; ranelate. These medications combined showed good results for treating osteoporosis. However, this treatment was never really used.

  The results of the studies with these two medications showed that women taking strontium ranelate had approximately half the fracture risks of women who didn't take it. Results also showed that bone density in the spines of women taking strontium ranelate increased by 15 percent over a three-year period.

  Strontium ranelate is currently not being sold in the United States, but it is anticipated that it will eventually be available here as a prescription drug.