Kyphosis, a curving of the spine, or popularly called a hunchback, is often associated in later years with osteoporosis.  Kyphosis leads to many health problems, however, besides osteoporosis. Among them, and perhaps the most serious is respiratory problems, and eventually possible heart failure.

The standard treatment for osteoporisis are biophosphonates with Calcium and Vitamin D. But here is where the controversy is.

Biophosphonates, especially in the case of osteoporosis, cause the bones to have constant turnover, and inhibits the digestion of bone by osteoclasts. And vitamin D, as we know, stengthens our bones. But even though this seems to be the standard treatment, it is not really effective because we are not told to take enough of it!Not only that, but the calcium you are often told to take with it may actually decrease the vitamin D levels.

Biophosphonates actually create an abnormal bone, which is relatively fine for about seven years and then becomes more prone to breaking. It’s also noted that prolonged treatment, while it can decrease the number of fractures, can actually increase the harm in the fractures, making them more painful and slower to heal, since the bones are thickened.

As for Vitamin D, it is often prescribed at 400 IU, which is not enough at certain times. And though you need more than that, it also has to be controlled because there can be too much vitamin D, causing more harm than good.

The dosages of vitamin D need to be checked and monitored, as well as possible bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Check with your doctor about your treatment options if you have osteoporosis. Right now, in the U.S., 10 million individuals already have osteoporosis and 34 million more have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for this disease.

Tags: Biophosphonates, bones, Osteoporosis, Weak bones

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 6:59 pm and is filed under Antiaging, Do you know, General health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.