<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hi Listmates,

I received this reply from another listmember after I posted my summary.   In my opinion, it is very interesting and important to check out.

"I attended a presentation recently where a doctor discussed some of the
drugs used to combat osteoporosis, even though this was not the main
focus of his presentation.  He specifically mentioned Fosamax, and said
it was not good, basically because he said it kept the body from LOSING
bone rather than promoting new bone GROWTH.  The gist of it is that he
said additional calcium, magnesium, vitamin D could promote new bone
growth, if you got the most absorbable forms (calcium citrate, etc.)  A
drug like Myacalcin would also promote bone growth, since it is a nasal
spray which introduces calcitonin into the body, the hormone that tells
your cells to make new bone.  

The problem with Fosamax, according to him, is that it encourages the
old, brittle bone to hang around longer, so that overall, the body's
bone density ratio LOOKS better in tests, but the older bone is more
brittle, and therefore makes you more prone to catastrophic fractures.
So he suggested trying to promote new bone growth rather than using
drugs that artificially preserved the old bone.  However, other than the
mention I made above of absorbable calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, etc.,
he did not get into recommendations on the best way to do that.  

Please don't take this from me as medical advice, I am passing along
what I heard, but I hope you will verify it with your own sources."


If I receive any other info on the subject, I will pass it along.

Barbara in Missouri

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*