![\"\"](\"https:\/\/carolinatotalwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Osteo.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOnce you have osteoporosis then the treatment is as follows:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your partner in health, Didem Miraloglu, MD, MS Osteoporosis refers to a condition where bones become brittle.\u00a0 A report from the Surgeon General states in the US 54 million Americans are at risk for osteoporosis, and 10 million Americans already have osteoporosis. Although women make up 80% of osteoporosis cases, men still get osteoporosis. Each year 1.5 million people … <\/p>\n
Osteoporosis refers to a condition where bones become brittle.\u00a0 A report from the Surgeon General states in the US 54 million Americans are at risk for osteoporosis, and 10 million Americans already have osteoporosis. Although women make up 80% of osteoporosis cases, men still get osteoporosis. Each year 1.5 million people suffer a fracture from bone loss, and if this is a hip fracture, mortality in the first year can be as high as 40%, with higher mortality rates in men than in women.
Starting in childhood, there is a fine balance between the building up and breaking down of bones coordinated beautifully between cells named osteoblasts and osteoclasts, respectively.\u00a0 If there is too much osteoclast activity, then there is an increased amount of breakdown of bone as seen in inflammation. There is also this misconception that it is the lack of calcium causing osteoporosis. It is actually calcium balance and not the total calcium which is important in osteoporosis.\u00a0
Risk factors for osteoporosis include:<\/strong>
1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Aging: Inflammation is a normal process of aging, which increases with age, in functional medicine, this is termed \u201cinflamm-aging\u201d.
2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Diet- SAD: Diet (Standard American Diet) is very inflammatory, upregulating the immune system. Consumption of excess amounts of sugar, alcohol, caffeine, salt, and soda all can lead to bone loss due to demineralization of the bones. A leaky gut can drive inflammation to the point of bone resorption.
3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lifestyle: Stress, smoking, inactive lifestyle can all contribute to an increased rate of breakdown of bone compared to a build-up of bone.
4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Genes: For instance, Celiac disease predisposes to osteoporosis due to poor absorption of minerals.
5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gender: Being a female increases the risk, since it is usually seen after menopause because estrogen is protective for the bones as well as the brain and the heart. During menopause estrogen declines and there is no further protection for the bones.
6)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Medications: Steroids, proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, pantoprazole, esomeprazole), cancer drugs, thyroid hormone, cyclosporine, heparin, and warfarin.
Testing for osteoporosis is done thru a DEXA scan. It is also known as a Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, or Bone Density scan, a simple X-ray where the hip and the spine bone density are measured. T-score represents the difference in your bone density from the average bone density of healthy young adults. If the T-score is -1 to -2.5 it is considered osteopenia, if <-2.5 osteoporosis. Osteopenia refers to the beginning of osteoporosis, meaning \u201cbone poverty\u201d.
Treatment of osteoporosis by conventional medicine involves using strong drugs, sometimes too strong which may even cause a break in the bones.<\/strong><\/em>
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bisphosphonates: i.e., Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, and Reclast target areas of high turnover where the osteoclasts, cells which break down old bone, absorb bisphosphonate and hence their activity is slowed down and there is a reduction in bone breakdown.
Side effects: bone, joint, muscle pain, nausea, gastric ulcer, stress fracture of the thigh bone
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SERM: Selective estrogen receptor modulator- i.e.Raloxifene, acts like estrogen in some parts of the body but blocks the effects of estrogen in other parts. Increases bone density and reduces the risk of spine fractures, but it has not been shown to decrease the risk of non-spinal fractures. Raloxifene also decreases the risk of invasive breast cancer.\u00a0
Side effects: hot flashes, leg cramps, or blood clots in the legs or lungs. Raloxifene is not recommended for premenopausal women.
3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Parathyroid hormone molecule: i.e. Teriparatide, abaloparatide stimulates new bone formation, rather than preventing bone breakdown. Because of potential safety concerns, particularly an increased risk of bone cancer in rats, the use of this drug is restricted to men and women with severe osteoporosis\u2014who have a high risk of a fracture\u2014and can be given for no more than two years.
Side effects: uncommon but may include leg cramps, headaches, dizziness, high blood calcium, and high urinary calcium (with an increased risk of kidney stones). This medication is not recommended for premenopausal women.
4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Romosuzumab: Bone-building medication that is given once a month as pair of injections by a doctor or nurse. Treatment is given once a month for twelve months and is then followed by another medication to prevent bone loss. Romosozumab reduces the risk of spine fractures and non-spine fractures, including hip fractures. Romosozumab may increase the risk of heart attack or stroke\u2014including fatal heart attack or stroke\u2014and it should not be given to women who have had a heart attack or stroke in the past year. It is approved for the treatment of osteoporosis in women past the time of menopause who are at high risk for fracture, defined as a history of osteoporotic fracture, multiple risk factors for fracture, or failure or intolerance to other available osteoporosis therapies. It may cause side effects such as headaches or joint pain.
5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Estrogen hormone therapy: Prevents bone loss and reduces the risk of fracture in the spine and hip. It can also relieve other symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Estrogen is usually given in pill form, although it is also available in other forms such as a skin patch or gel. Studies show that the risks of oral estrogen therapy\u2014including heart attack, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer\u2014may outweigh its benefits in many older women, depending upon the dose and specific preparation. For this reason, estrogen therapy is not usually prescribed solely for fracture prevention.
A comprehensive functional medicine approach to the evaluation of osteoporosis takes the form of blood, saliva, stool, and urine testing. Low-grade inflammation can be assessed thru blood work by checking hs-CRP, HgA1C, ESR, CMP, CBC, and essential fatty acids. Blood work for vitamin D and osteocalcin is necessary since vitamin D helps absorb calcium into the bones and osteocalcin is a biomarker for functional vitamin K deficiency. Bone resorption can be evaluated by urine N-telopeptide. Stool analysis to evaluate the gut is also important since calprotectin in stool provides information about inflammation in the gut. Gut microbes are responsible for making vitamin K, which is necessary for having better bone density. Saliva testing for hormones would provide information about the levels of estradiol, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, and progesterone.
A comprehensive functional medicine approach to the treatment of osteoporosis is first and foremost prevention.\u00a0 It is recommended by conventional doctors to get a DEXA scan once a woman turns 65, however, it may be too late for some since many risk factors play a role in developing osteoporosis. It is ideal to have a DEXA scan around ages 30-35 as a baseline since this is the time of peak bone mass, and then another one a year after menopause to compare the degree of bone loss to get ahead of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Osteoporosis refers to a condition where bones become brittle.\u00a0 A report from the Surgeon General states in the US 54 million Americans are at risk for osteoporosis, and 10 million Americans already have osteoporosis. Although women make up 80% of osteoporosis cases, men still get osteoporosis. Each year 1.5 million people suffer a fracture from bone loss, and if this is a hip fracture, mortality in the first year can be as high as 40%, with higher mortality rates in men than in women.
Starting in childhood, there is a fine balance between the building up and breaking down of bones coordinated beautifully between cells named osteoblasts and osteoclasts, respectively.\u00a0 If there is too much osteoclast activity, then there is an increased amount of breakdown of bone as seen in inflammation. There is also this misconception that it is the lack of calcium causing osteoporosis. It is actually calcium balance and not the total calcium which is important in osteoporosis.\u00a0
Risk factors for osteoporosis include:<\/strong>
1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Aging: Inflammation is a normal process of aging, which increases with age, in functional medicine, this is termed \u201cinflamm-aging\u201d.
2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Diet- SAD: Diet (Standard American Diet) is very inflammatory, upregulating the immune system. Consumption of excess amounts of sugar, alcohol, caffeine, salt, and soda all can lead to bone loss due to demineralization of the bones. A leaky gut can drive inflammation to the point of bone resorption.
3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lifestyle: Stress, smoking, inactive lifestyle can all contribute to an increased rate of breakdown of bone compared to a build-up of bone.
4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Genes: For instance, Celiac disease predisposes to osteoporosis due to poor absorption of minerals.
5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gender: Being a female increases the risk, since it is usually seen after menopause because estrogen is protective for the bones as well as the brain and the heart. During menopause estrogen declines and there is no further protection for the bones.
6)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Medications: Steroids, proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, pantoprazole, esomeprazole), cancer drugs, thyroid hormone, cyclosporine, heparin, and warfarin.
Testing for osteoporosis is done thru a DEXA scan. It is also known as a Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, or Bone Density scan, a simple X-ray where the hip and the spine bone density are measured. T-score represents the difference in your bone density from the average bone density of healthy young adults. If the T-score is -1 to -2.5 it is considered osteopenia, if <-2.5 osteoporosis. Osteopenia refers to the beginning of osteoporosis, meaning \u201cbone poverty\u201d.
Treatment of osteoporosis by conventional medicine involves using strong drugs, sometimes too strong which may even cause a break in the bones.<\/strong><\/em>
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bisphosphonates: i.e., Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, and Reclast target areas of high turnover where the osteoclasts, cells which break down old bone, absorb bisphosphonate and hence their activity is slowed down and there is a reduction in bone breakdown.
Side effects: bone, joint, muscle pain, nausea, gastric ulcer, stress fracture of the thigh bone
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SERM: Selective estrogen receptor modulator- i.e.Raloxifene, acts like estrogen in some parts of the body but blocks the effects of estrogen in other parts. Increases bone density and reduces the risk of spine fractures, but it has not been shown to decrease the risk of non-spinal fractures. Raloxifene also decreases the risk of invasive breast cancer.\u00a0
Side effects: hot flashes, leg cramps, or blood clots in the legs or lungs. Raloxifene is not recommended for premenopausal women.
3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Parathyroid hormone molecule: i.e. Teriparatide, abaloparatide stimulates new bone formation, rather than preventing bone breakdown. Because of potential safety concerns, particularly an increased risk of bone cancer in rats, the use of this drug is restricted to men and women with severe osteoporosis\u2014who have a high risk of a fracture\u2014and can be given for no more than two years.
Side effects: uncommon but may include leg cramps, headaches, dizziness, high blood calcium, and high urinary calcium (with an increased risk of kidney stones). This medication is not recommended for premenopausal women.
4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Romosuzumab: Bone-building medication that is given once a month as pair of injections by a doctor or nurse. Treatment is given once a month for twelve months and is then followed by another medication to prevent bone loss. Romosozumab reduces the risk of spine fractures and non-spine fractures, including hip fractures. Romosozumab may increase the risk of heart attack or stroke\u2014including fatal heart attack or stroke\u2014and it should not be given to women who have had a heart attack or stroke in the past year. It is approved for the treatment of osteoporosis in women past the time of menopause who are at high risk for fracture, defined as a history of osteoporotic fracture, multiple risk factors for fracture, or failure or intolerance to other available osteoporosis therapies. It may cause side effects such as headaches or joint pain.
5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Estrogen hormone therapy: Prevents bone loss and reduces the risk of fracture in the spine and hip. It can also relieve other symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Estrogen is usually given in pill form, although it is also available in other forms such as a skin patch or gel. Studies show that the risks of oral estrogen therapy\u2014including heart attack, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer\u2014may outweigh its benefits in many older women, depending upon the dose and specific preparation. For this reason, estrogen therapy is not usually prescribed solely for fracture prevention.
A comprehensive functional medicine approach to the evaluation of osteoporosis takes the form of blood, saliva, stool, and urine testing. Low-grade inflammation can be assessed thru blood work by checking hs-CRP, HgA1C, ESR, CMP, CBC, and essential fatty acids. Blood work for vitamin D and osteocalcin is necessary since vitamin D helps absorb calcium into the bones and osteocalcin is a biomarker for functional vitamin K deficiency. Bone resorption can be evaluated by urine N-telopeptide. Stool analysis to evaluate the gut is also important since calprotectin in stool provides information about inflammation in the gut. Gut microbes are responsible for making vitamin K, which is necessary for having better bone density. Saliva testing for hormones would provide information about the levels of estradiol, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, and progesterone.
A comprehensive functional medicine approach to the treatment of osteoporosis is first and foremost prevention.\u00a0 It is recommended by conventional doctors to get a DEXA scan once a woman turns 65, however, it may be too late for some since many risk factors play a role in developing osteoporosis. It is ideal to have a DEXA scan around ages 30-35 as a baseline since this is the time of peak bone mass, and then another one a year after menopause to compare the degree of bone loss to get ahead of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Didem Miraloglu, MD, MS<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/6d8540e413311bec0725824f4\/_compresseds\/64de2aa4-7c54-b73b-30ed-f3733aaf1e9e.jpeg\")
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