Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones of a person lose their strength and density and become extremely fragile. It is a chronic condition that takes months and years to develop and thus affects elderly people mostly. Its incidence is very high in all parts of the world, especially Europe where 20 million people get affected.
Physicians from across the world have different techniques to treat and manage patients with osteoporosis. Also, with time, many new innovative techniques have been developed that can help better treat this ailment. This article is concerned with innovative techniques for the treatment of osteoporosis
Table of Contents
Pharmacotherapy
As with other conditions, osteoporosis is treated mainly by medications. In this regard, physicians prioritize two groups of medications. One group is anti-resorptives and the other one is anabolic medications. Antiresorptives include bisphosphonates, raloxifene which acts as estrogen receptor modulator, estrogen and calcitonin.
Bisphosphonates among all are used as the first line drug for osteoporosis. Alendronate, Risedronate, zoledronic acid and other bisphosphonates served under varying brand names are among the top names for the treatment.
Teriparatide belongs to the second group that are anabolic agents prescribed by some physicians for treatment of osteoporosis. Furthermore, MK-2866, also known as Ostarine ( a popular anabolic SARM ) is also used for treating weakened bones in patients.
Another group containing monoclonal antibody meds i.e. denosumab is also given by some physicians, but some avoid giving this drug due to serious side effect profile.
Dietary supplements to treat osteoporosis
As we know osteoporosis results in too little bone mass due to varying causes, dietary regulation of minerals, vitamins, herbs, enzymes and amino acids etc. is very important in supplying the building materials of a bone. Thus, one’s diet must be carefully supplemented with appropriate essentials.
Calcium, vitamin D, magnesium supplements are key materials that make the substance of a bone, therefore they must be taken as a supplement according to the physician’s prescription. These ions form the inorganic part of bone that is responsible for the density and strength of a bone. Thus, it is recommended that these vitamins and minerals should be taken adequately in diet whether osteoporosis or not.
Among other essentials zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, soy isoflavone an antioxidant and vitamin K are important in increasing bone strength. Some of these supplements are a part of our normal diet, while others need to be taken separately as individual supplements.
Low intensity vibrations
Osteoblasts are bone cells that form new bones. These cells are activated when physical strength on a bone is increased. Using this principle, physicians have come up with a new technique, “low density vibrations” to treat osteoporosis. In this innovative technique, a device imparts low level vibration with a high frequency upon the bone. This vibration is sufficient to mobilize bone forming cells and hence bone density can be increased.
This technique is rather simple, safer and effective in treatment of osteoporosis. A ten minutes application of low intensity vibrations (LiV) per day is good enough for prophylaxis and treatment of osteoporosis. It has shown good results on both young and old patients. Another surprising fact about this procedure is the lack of side effects and contraindications as compared to pharmacological agents.
Osteoporosis is a serious disease, therefore nothing should be preferred other than the physician’s prescription. However, a healthy diet and proper exercise are key to prevent osteoporosis.
