A hormone supplement may improve bone health
Old Bones – New Hope
The unmitigated gall of drug companies never ceases to amaze me. You might think I would have stopped being amazed long ago, but no.
The latest in a long, long line of outrages…
Amgen, the world’s largest biotechnology company, has developed a genetically engineered osteoporosis drug currently known as denosumab. If it gets FDA approval, this drug will be given another name – much catchier and more marketable.
One of the hot selling points for denosumab will be that it reduces the “hassles” of other osteoporosis drugs. For instance, one of those other drugs has to be taken once a month – what a hassle!
In comparison to 12 pills per year, denosumab is practically hassle-free because you only take it twice a year. AND, a recent study showed it works just as well as other osteoporosis drugs.
Ready for the other shoe to drop? You might want to stand back because this shoe is as big as a house. And it comes in three parts:
- Denosumab is given by injection
- Denosumab may cost more than $10,000 per year
- Denosumab works by affecting the immune system, so the long-term effects on immune function and cancer risk are unknown and will need to be tracked by the FDA
So! Feel like taking a chance?
Or would you rather try something less-expensive and drug- free?
Replenishing a key hormone
In a recent issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reported on a trial in which they tested the effects of DHEA supplements on bone mineral density in older adults.
DHEA is a hormone, sometimes called the anti-aging hormone because: 1) DHEA levels naturally drop as we age, and 2) DHEA supplements have been shown to improve age-related health problems such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue, depression, cognitive function, obesity, reduced muscle mass, immune system disorders, and…osteoporosis.
But you may have heard that DHEA is dangerous. There are plenty of mainstream “experts” and drug company shills who would like you to think that. And there’s no question that anytime you supplement with a hormone you have to be careful.
In the e-Alert “Fountain of Health” (11/2/06), I noted that DHEA use should be closely monitored by a medical professional. In fact, HSI panelist Martin Milner, N.D., recommends that those who take DHEA should have their salivary hormone levels checked at least once every six months. In addition, one HSI member pointed out that hair loss is a potential DHEA side effect. And nobody wants that.
In his Daily Dose e-letter, William Campbell Douglass II, M.D., offered this observation: “Used properly, DHEA is perfectly safe. In fact, your body produces more of this natural substance than all other hormones combined. Production typically peaks between 20 and 30 years of age, however – beyond that, your DHEA levels decline dramatically.”
And that decline is very often accompanied by osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis cocktail
Now…back to that Washington University School of Medicine study…
Researchers recruited 55 men and 58 women over the age of 65. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups, with one half receiving 50 mg of DHEA daily, and the other half receiving a placebo. In addition, all subjects received daily supplements of vitamin D and calcium.
This first phase of the study lasted one year. During the second year, ALL subjects received 50 mg of DHEA daily. In both years, researchers monitored changes in bone mineral density (BMD), hormone levels, and bone turnover markers.
Unfortunately, the results showed no benefits for men. But in women, spine BMD increased in the DHEA group in year one and even more in year two. In the placebo group, there was no change in year one, but BMD increased in year two.
If you’re a woman at risk of osteoporosis, ask your doctor about supplementation with DHEA, vitamin D, and calcium before subjecting yourself to the guinea pig treatment with a drug that promises more unknowns than knowns.
Sources:
“Studies: New Osteoporosis Drug Cuts Fracture Risk” Linda A. Johnson, Associated Press, 8/11/09, ap.org
“Dehydroepiandrosterone Replacement Therapy in Older Adults: 1- and 2-y Effects on Bone” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 89, No. 5, May 2009
