Could this prostate treatment SHATTER your bones?
Guys, you may not want to admit it, but…
There’s NOTHING that can set off your panic alarms like your doc telling you there’s something going on with your prostate.
For heaven’s sake, you just want to be OK “down there”!
So when your doc gives you a drug to help keep your “manly gland” in tip-top shape… OF COURSE you’re tempted to fill that Rx without question.
But according to the latest research, friend, you need to know what you might be getting yourself into.
Because prostate patients who take a certain class of drugs may face DEBILITATING consequences…
Particularly if they’re on the older side… and are already at risk.
Here’s what you could be setting yourself up for.
This drug class could bring you DOWN
A recent meta-analysis of 11 studies has linked drugs known as androgen receptor inhibitors (ARIs) to a higher incidence of falls in older guys.
ARIs are used to treat prostate cancer… as they work by BLOCKING the male hormones from reaching receptors located on prostate cancer cells.
This, in turn, can STOP cancer cell growth.
But according to this latest research, prostate patients who took an ARI drug… either alone or in combination with ADT… showed nearly DOUBLE the risk of falling.
And their risk of a SEVERE fall was 1.6X higher than those who didn’t take an ARI.
Now, you know what happens when you fall after reaching a certain age.
You could BREAK something!
And that’s exactly what this research shows.
The average age of the men in the studies was 72 years old…
And the ARI group’s risk of a fracture was 1.6X higher than the non-ARI group.
This gets worse…
Because the damage done wasn’t always MINOR.
In fact, some of those bone breaks were serious enough for the guys to be HOSPITALIZED!
I’m talking about CATASTROPHIC injuries… and not just the broken bones themselves…
But also head trauma!
According to the study’s authors, the reason behind this association could be two-fold:
- Certain ARIs like apalutamide cross the blood-brain barrier and could adversely affect the central nervous system.
- ARIs have been linked to loss of muscle mass and strength, including sarcopenia.
And a study out of the University of Maryland right here in Baltimore… published just last fall… found that antiandrogen therapies like ARIs contribute to bone fragility.
Now, this latest research only looked at 3 individual ARI drugs…
But it turns out, not all ARIs were created equal.
The BIGGEST risk of falls and fractures was associated specifically with the drug apalutamide.
Before you decide to take ANY of these drugs… make sure your doc assesses your fall risk.
Two of the most common evaluations are the Hendrich II Fall Risk Model and the 12-item Fall Risk Questionnaire.
Risk assessments like these look at risk factors like whether you’ve fallen before… how steady you feel… what meds you’re taking… and more.
Now, you can certainly REDUCE your fall risk by “fall-proofing” your home (like removing trip hazards)… paying attention to your vision health… and keeping your muscles and bones strong.
But you may also want to consult an integrative oncologist to see whether there are any natural alternatives to ARI drugs… so you can AVOID their risks altogether.
To second-guessing DISABLING cancer treatments,
Melissa Young
P.S. There are natural ways to SHIELD your bones from breakage… and even HEAL broken bones faster. Check out the eAlert archives for how you can BUILD bone strength with an African vine… and a special type of plum.
