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

Dear Listserve,

You are all amazing.  I received at least 40 replies to my post concerning
osteoporosis, proper treatment and the roller coaster I am on taking Actonel
and calcium for BMD then adding Prilosec OTC to combat acid reflux caused by
the Actonel.   

Your replies covered a range of suggestions from eating right to calcium
supplements to Vitamin D.  Many also offered helpful insights about Actonel
and other bisphosphonates (Fosamax and Boniva).  You told me what you
thought of Prilosec and that was "not much."  

I can't list all of the comments here.  However, I'll highlight the most
important points.

* We all agree that calcium is important and people take anywhere from 600mg
to 2000mg.  

* Most everyone also agrees that we need vitamin D because we do not get
enough naturally and the amount you suggested ranges from 400 IU to 1000 IU.


As for bisphosphonates, the opinions were mixed.  I felt the most balanced
information came from a Medscape panel of doctors.  It's difficult to
download so here is a synopsis:  (I'll give the link to anyone who wants
it.)

* ONJ is very rare and usually occurs in patients with cancer who are
receiving IV bisphosphonates, although there have been a couple of reported
cases where people took oral bisphosphonates and did not have any underlying
health issues.  

*  Bisphosphonates have been on the market since 1995.  They referenced 36
cases of ONJ in 2003 - 35 from IV bisphosphonates.  In 2004, there were 63
patients with bone exposure, 7 using oral treatment and 56 using IV.  Nearly
all were related to cancer treatment.  

*  In the US, 33 million patients have been treated with oral
bisphosphonates and the risk seems to be 1/100,000 for all forms of
bisphosphonates.  If you look at the risk of ONJ versus being in a fatal car
accident, you are 10-15 times more likely to be in a fatal car accident.  

* In addition, they report that incidence and severity are much lower in the
general population compared with those being treated for cancer.  They do
say that one factor to consider is your personal dental history.  If one has
periodontal infections and very bad teeth, they might need a lot of surgery-
implants mostly and would not be a good candidate for bisphosphonates.  

But here's the big news, at least to me.  We NEED TO TAKE MAGNESIUM. My
husband uncovered a medical paper:  "Magnesium deficiency: possible role in
osteoporosis associated with gluten-sensitive enteropathy" which indicates
that after 2 years, patients taking magnesium had a significant increase in
bone density.   Ron Hoggan makes the same point in an article that can be
found at www.celiac.com.  Magnesium was also mentioned in a talk given by
Cathy Breedon PhD, RD, Clinical Nutrition Specialist at the GIG conference
last June:  

"Magnesium is critical for over 300 processes in the body.  And yet,
according to a large national survey by the CDC, this important mineral is
low in the diets of the majority of Americans.  Because one of the most
important dietary sources is the "germ" part of whole grains, there is an
even greater likelihood of poor intake among people avoiding gluten.  Other
good sources include nuts and legumes, but many people do not eat much of
these foods.  Most multivitamins with minerals contain very little magnesium
-- often only 10-25% of the recommended amount.  For these reasons, some
folks will need an additional magnesium supplement of 200-300 mg/day, and
others can do well with just some diet adjustment." 

(Just a word of caution about magnesium.  It can be a laxative so go slowly
when adding it to your regimen.)

* Several suggested natural treatments for acid reflux such as probiotics
and  iFLORA probiotic from www.sedonalabs.com .

* A couple of people also suggested taking testosterone to help build bone.

Thank you all for your comments.  Let's all raise a glass of skim or soy
milk to strong bones and healthy lives.

Beth Hillson
Founder, Gluten-Free Pantry
V-P, Product Development & Consumer Information
Glutino USA/Gluten-Free Pantry
www.glutenfree.com
860-633-3826 

* Please remember some posters may be WHEAT-FREE, but not GLUTEN-FREE *
Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC