[Koala77]

As one of many who have tried one of the Bisphosphonate medications for osteoporosis, only to give it away because of side effects, I was interested to read on an RSD thread that Magnesium was helpful in treating osteoporosis when combined with Calcium.

Originally Posted by mrsD

....Anyway, magnesium works with calcium for your bone strength.
Taking calcium alone, does not work for osteoporosis without magnesium too.

I'd be interested in learning more about this.

[mrsD]

Okay, here are some links:

http://www.mgwater.com/rod15.shtml

and:

Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2009 Dec;7(4):111-7.
Osteoporosis prevention and nutrition.

Tucker KL.

USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA. Katherine.tucker@tufts.edu

Although calcium and vitamin D have been the primary focus of nutritional prevention of osteoporosis, recent research has clarified the importance of several additional nutrients and food constituents. Further, results of calcium and vitamin D supplementation trials have been inconsistent, suggesting that reliance on this intervention may be inadequate. In addition to dairy, fruit and vegetable intake has emerged as an important modifiable protective factor for bone health. Several nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K, several B vitamins, and carotenoids, have been shown to be more important than previously realized. Rather than having a negative effect on bone, protein intake appears to benefit bone status, particularly in older adults. Regular intake of cola beverages shows negative effects and moderate alcohol intake shows positive effects on bone, particularly in older women. Current research on diet and bone status supports encouragement of balanced diets with plenty of fruit and vegetables, adequate dairy and other protein foods, and limitation of foods with low nutrient density.

PMID: 19968914 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Also, some research finds that boron, and strontium are helpful too. Some supplements are including these two as well.
The B vit most often referenced is B12.
Also Omega-3 fatty acids are helpful too:

Prog Lipid Res. 1997 Sep;36(2-3):131-51.
Calcium metabolism, osteoporosis and essential fatty acids: a review.

Kruger MC, Horrobin DF.

Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Essential fatty acid (EFA)-deficient animals develop severe osteoporosis coupled with increased renal and arterial calcification. This picture is similar to that seen in osteoporosis in the elderly, where the loss of bone calcium is associated with ectopic calcification of other tissues, particularly the arteries and the kidneys. Recent mortality studies indicate that the ectopic calcification may be considerably more dangerous than the osteoporosis itself, since the great majority of excess deaths in women with osteoporosis are vascular and unrelated to fractures or other bone abnormalities. EFAs have now been shown to increase calcium absorption from the gut, in part by enhancing the effects of vitamin D, to reduce urinary excretion of calcium, to increase calcium deposition in bone and improve bone strength and to enhance the synthesis of bone collagen. These desirable actions are associated with reduced ectopic calcification. The interaction between EFA and calcium metabolism deserves further investigation since it may offer novel approaches to osteoporosis and also to the ectopic calcification associated with osteoporosis which seems to be responsible for so many deaths.

PMID: 9624425 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

If you type in "magnesium osteoporosis" into PubMed search or Google, you will find alot of other things to read.

So really good nutrition with a diet containing all these nutrients is best.

And the really alarming thing about the current drugs used for osteoporosis...the bisphosphonates..like Boniva, Fosamax, etc are the freak fractures with no warning that occur after long term use.
This situation, IMO will lead to these drugs being discarded as a treatment in the future. The osteoclasts are suppressed which stop bone loss....but these drugs appear to stop osteoblast activity, which means the bones actually die, and become more brittle, and can break with very little force and no warning! (injury not needed).
The pelvic fractures were the first to appear, and now the femur ones are being reported.

[Koala77]

Thank you for that mrsD. I'll do some more reading.

That last bit's rather scary though where you mentioned that the bisphosphonates are causing exactly what they are supposed to prevent.

I was on Actonel for a very short time but even with all my fractures, I never wanted to start taking it in the first place. The side effects were just too many, and too serious and I must admit I'm rather pleased to be off the medication now.

[mrsD]

The rheumatologist quoted in the new reports, claims that
the fractures start after 5 yrs. I have a link, if you want I'll search for it, showing in animated gifs how all the osteoporosis treatments actually work on the cells. If you want me to put it up I'll do it next task. (it was on PN and rather tricky to find)
These drugs are new, and haven't been around that long really.
The first reports came in patients using steroids, and given these drugs...those were the reports of pelvic fractures.

But... after viewing those gifs from a medical school, I sort of decided then that the bisphosphonates are going to flop majorly soon. I think the risk of freak fractures is greater than they are telling us. (sadly).

[mrsD]

Here are the links to the animated gifs concerning osteoporosis treatments. (comparisons)

http://courses.washington.edu/bonephys/opmovies.html

These were published before the human freak fracture data was published. Notice the reference to microcracks in the bones of dogs.

[Koala77]

Thank you so much. Those pictures really hammer this problem home.

I only took Actonel for a few months because it eroded the lining of my stomach and I ended up vomiting fresh red blood, but with such a short time on the medication I feel sure that I'll escape the long term side effects.

My dentist was most concerned when he heard that I took it though. He said the danger of jaw necrosis continues even after you stop bisphosphonates, and when I asked how long for, he said at this stage they are thinking life!

Now I have to do something to try and stop the damage that's been done to my bones from 30+ years of intermittent cortisone therapy.

[mrsD]

First off... the Vit D. That should be the first thing you look at.

I hope you weren't on it long enough. Actonel was more popular in UK than here. At one point, there were papers claiming it was ineffective!

[watsonsh]

My aunt had breast cancer and also took Fosamax. She developed the jaw osteonecrosis and had to have all of her teeth removed and surgery on part of the jaw. The oral surgeon attributed it to FOsamax and her chemo.

What about strontium for osteoporosis. I have read a few things on it.

[Koala77]

Originally Posted by mrsD

First off... the Vit D. That should be the first thing you look at.....

Vit D? Yes! My neuro checked my levels several years ago and got me started on supplements straight away. I've been following the Vit D threads posted here with interest.

[b onna]

I took once-a-week Actonel for a year and got results with my bones and no side effects that I could tell.

I started slacking off mostly because it was a pain in the patootie to take it in the morning on an empty stomach AND sit up for a half-hour after that. After waking up in the morning it takes me a while to get up due to my AnklioSpond.

I'm going to make a note for my new neurologist about Vit D and either request the blood work from her or from my rheumatologist, who is a SAINT.