Willing to trade osteoporosis for cancer?
A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that osteoporosis medications such as Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva increase your risk for esophageal irritation (that can lead to cancer). Other previous studies have shown that these medications also increase your risk for degeneration of the jaw bone which can lead to tooth loss and cosmetic damage. My question is this…why is the medical establishment pushing these drugs as the answer to bone loss and not doing more to help PREVENT the need for these dangerous drugs?
Patients often come to me with the attitude that they don’t really need to watch their calcium intake or do weight bearing exercise to help prevent osteoporosis because there’s now a pill for that. After all, Sally Fields uses it, doesn’t she?
Reality is that prevention of osteoporosis needs to occur with young adults under the age of 30. Whatever bone mass you have at age 30 is the maximum that you will ever have. Increasing the intake of calcium (1200mg/day) along with adequate Vitamin D (100o IU) along with frequent weight lifting exercises (upper and lower body) is enough to keep the majority of women safe from osteoporosis. Instead we allow soda pop and artificial flavorings take the place of calcium-rich foods as teens sit in front of the TV or computer.
The next time you make a lifestyle choice, think about the risks involved…the natural prevention of the illness is usually a lot safer than the alternative, even if “there’s a pill for it!”