Once-a-month “cure” may cause life-long problems
Once-a-month “cure” may cause life-long problems
by Dr. Carl Gillman · April 08, 2009
I am going to illustrate how two different remedies can combine into major health problems for the unsuspecting people who choose to use them. These two remedies are generally not discussed together. This is a problem because when we combine everything into our bodies we are doing just that.
First we’ll look at those once a month drugs which are intended to help those suffering from osteoporosis. You may recognize names like Boniva, Fosamax, Reclast and others. Most of you have seen television commercials for some of these, I’m sure. But how do they work? How can a once a month dose help with bone loss? These drugs inhibit the body’s natural process of bone replacement. Specifically, they inhibit the cells whose job it is to remove old bone. The cells which take the old bone away are called osteoclasts. The drugs mentioned above actually target these cells and keep them from doing their work. The thinking is, I suppose, that if the osteoclasts can’t take bone away, there will be less bone loss in a person who already has too little bone. On the surface, this seems logical. But there are long term ramifications for interrupting our bodies’ natural systems and the work they must perform.
Aside from actually slowing the bone removal process there are side effects many people may not consider. Boniva, despite what Sally Field tells you in the commercial, has a legion of people who have taken it and have found debilitating musculoskeletal pain including back pain, joint pain, intense muscle spasms and also headaches, numbness in the hands, chest pain & tightness, increased heart rate and persistent dizziness to name a few. Fosamax has several of these, too but it also has a nastier one; osteonecrosis of the jaw, or ONJ. ONJ is bone death and decay of the jaw. This has been noted for years in dental journals and journals of oral surgery. This disease is a terrible and largely irreversible process that can actually get worse with surgery. Our jaw bones have the highest number of blood vessels, bone replacement activity and health impact of possibly any other bone. This is because it holds the teeth, is so close to the surface of the skin on our gums and is exposed to a very dirty environment; our mouths. The jaw bones must undergo extensive replacement and must also have good blood supply to protect us from infections. Fosamax, by slowing or stopping this normal turnover of bone, directly causes the jaw bone to be more susceptible to infectious decay. This starts with an effect the drug companies who make these drugs don’t like to talk about; these drugs cause micro-fractures. Micro-fractures are small breaks in the web-like interior of bones. These inhibit normal bone repair and blood supply to the bone itself. In other words, drugs taken to prevent fractures due to osteoporosis actually set the patient up for breaking bones and poor repair. All this gets worse when we add the second remedy and its effects.
Most cities, including West Liberty, fluoridate their water and have for many years. This is done to reduce the number of dental cavities or tooth decay. Some statistics show there has been a positive benefit. Others say the risks outweigh the benefit. While fluoride can decrease the occurrence of dental decay, too much of it can be highly toxic and can cause dental fluorosis, or little brown spots to appear on teeth. It also causes bones to become brittle. Toothpaste has a ‘do not swallow’ warning on the label and the dose they are concerned about comes from a pea sized amount of toothpaste (most people use way too much.) This is the same amount of fluoride as an eight ounce glass of unfiltered tap water, yet there’s no warning for this.
The combination of fluoridated water and these osteoporosis drugs magnify the potential for increased fractures due to their interactions and combined effects. So ask yourself if the benefits outweigh the likely effects.
A good diet and weight bearing exercise can do as much as the once a month remedies. If you are active, ask your doctor if there is an alternative for you. As for fluoride, make sure to drink filtered water whenever possible. Remember, drugs have effects throughout our bodies and we should avoid them when we can.
Dr. Gillman can be reached at the West Liberty Chiropractic Center: 627-4787 or drgillman@Lcom.net
by Dr. Carl Gillman · April 08, 2009
I am going to illustrate how two different remedies can combine into major health problems for the unsuspecting people who choose to use them. These two remedies are generally not discussed together. This is a problem because when we combine everything into our bodies we are doing just that.
First we’ll look at those once a month drugs which are intended to help those suffering from osteoporosis. You may recognize names like Boniva, Fosamax, Reclast and others. Most of you have seen television commercials for some of these, I’m sure. But how do they work? How can a once a month dose help with bone loss? These drugs inhibit the body’s natural process of bone replacement. Specifically, they inhibit the cells whose job it is to remove old bone. The cells which take the old bone away are called osteoclasts. The drugs mentioned above actually target these cells and keep them from doing their work. The thinking is, I suppose, that if the osteoclasts can’t take bone away, there will be less bone loss in a person who already has too little bone. On the surface, this seems logical. But there are long term ramifications for interrupting our bodies’ natural systems and the work they must perform.
Aside from actually slowing the bone removal process there are side effects many people may not consider. Boniva, despite what Sally Field tells you in the commercial, has a legion of people who have taken it and have found debilitating musculoskeletal pain including back pain, joint pain, intense muscle spasms and also headaches, numbness in the hands, chest pain & tightness, increased heart rate and persistent dizziness to name a few. Fosamax has several of these, too but it also has a nastier one; osteonecrosis of the jaw, or ONJ. ONJ is bone death and decay of the jaw. This has been noted for years in dental journals and journals of oral surgery. This disease is a terrible and largely irreversible process that can actually get worse with surgery. Our jaw bones have the highest number of blood vessels, bone replacement activity and health impact of possibly any other bone. This is because it holds the teeth, is so close to the surface of the skin on our gums and is exposed to a very dirty environment; our mouths. The jaw bones must undergo extensive replacement and must also have good blood supply to protect us from infections. Fosamax, by slowing or stopping this normal turnover of bone, directly causes the jaw bone to be more susceptible to infectious decay. This starts with an effect the drug companies who make these drugs don’t like to talk about; these drugs cause micro-fractures. Micro-fractures are small breaks in the web-like interior of bones. These inhibit normal bone repair and blood supply to the bone itself. In other words, drugs taken to prevent fractures due to osteoporosis actually set the patient up for breaking bones and poor repair. All this gets worse when we add the second remedy and its effects.
Most cities, including West Liberty, fluoridate their water and have for many years. This is done to reduce the number of dental cavities or tooth decay. Some statistics show there has been a positive benefit. Others say the risks outweigh the benefit. While fluoride can decrease the occurrence of dental decay, too much of it can be highly toxic and can cause dental fluorosis, or little brown spots to appear on teeth. It also causes bones to become brittle. Toothpaste has a ‘do not swallow’ warning on the label and the dose they are concerned about comes from a pea sized amount of toothpaste (most people use way too much.) This is the same amount of fluoride as an eight ounce glass of unfiltered tap water, yet there’s no warning for this.
The combination of fluoridated water and these osteoporosis drugs magnify the potential for increased fractures due to their interactions and combined effects. So ask yourself if the benefits outweigh the likely effects.
A good diet and weight bearing exercise can do as much as the once a month remedies. If you are active, ask your doctor if there is an alternative for you. As for fluoride, make sure to drink filtered water whenever possible. Remember, drugs have effects throughout our bodies and we should avoid them when we can.
Dr. Gillman can be reached at the West Liberty Chiropractic Center: 627-4787 or drgillman@Lcom.net
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