Can diet and exercise alone rebuild bone mass

Posted by isabelle7 @isabelle7, May 17, 2024

My husband was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis. His lumbar T-score is -3.3, neck -2.31 and -2.6, hip -1.5 and -1.8.

He was prescribed Alendronate (Fosamax) and we’re concerned with the side-effects. As well as the side-effects of other drugs claiming to build bone mass.

Has anyone had success (with numbers like his) with exercise and diet alone? Also making sure to get enough calcium, Vit D.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Osteoporosis & Bone Health Support Group.

Profile picture for loriesco @loriesco

After a certain age and lack of natural hormones, your bones degenerate. Especially if it’s in your genetic make up for that to happen. Diet and exercise alone will only slow down the degeneration. If you want to counteract the degeneration, you’re gonna have to look to hormone supplements and bone medication’s. What I suggest is doing a lot of research (there is no shortcut to this) and finding a good team of doctors that you trust. All medications I repeat all medication’s pose some sort of risk, but if your doctor prescribes them, it’s usually to offset a risk you are experiencing through the degeneration. I eat optimally well I exercise I take bioidentical hormones and I take the bone medications. I had a bad side effect from the Reclast so my next class will be done with a slower infusion hydration before hand and Tylenol on board. I read the research. Only a small amount of people actually have side effects and then even more minuscule amount have them in the second go around. They can lower the dose as well. I have been on Tim Lowe’s for a year and I did not show enough of a change, but I think that was because I was injecting in my thighs and not my abdominal area. So this year, I’m injecting only in my abdominal wall after doing a lot of research and I expect a better response. I am 68 years old and I tend to fall a lot. I always have since I was a Kid. I do not want to risk fractures at this age. I know many women who fall at my age and fracture their bones my last fall was this summer over a gap in the sidewalk and I broke my two front teeth, but NO BONES!!! I’ll stay on the bone medication’s, the hormones, the exercise and the eating right.

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@loriesco
Why were you injecting in your thigh…there isn’t any printed recommendation from Tymlos …just curious if you had a doctor tell you to or you decided to?

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Profile picture for lhankins @lhankins

@normahorn
Does anyone know what happened to Windyshores? She was such a helpful, knowledgeable asset to this discussion.

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@lhankins
I can only speculate, which would not be helpful.

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Profile picture for loriesco @loriesco

After a certain age and lack of natural hormones, your bones degenerate. Especially if it’s in your genetic make up for that to happen. Diet and exercise alone will only slow down the degeneration. If you want to counteract the degeneration, you’re gonna have to look to hormone supplements and bone medication’s. What I suggest is doing a lot of research (there is no shortcut to this) and finding a good team of doctors that you trust. All medications I repeat all medication’s pose some sort of risk, but if your doctor prescribes them, it’s usually to offset a risk you are experiencing through the degeneration. I eat optimally well I exercise I take bioidentical hormones and I take the bone medications. I had a bad side effect from the Reclast so my next class will be done with a slower infusion hydration before hand and Tylenol on board. I read the research. Only a small amount of people actually have side effects and then even more minuscule amount have them in the second go around. They can lower the dose as well. I have been on Tim Lowe’s for a year and I did not show enough of a change, but I think that was because I was injecting in my thighs and not my abdominal area. So this year, I’m injecting only in my abdominal wall after doing a lot of research and I expect a better response. I am 68 years old and I tend to fall a lot. I always have since I was a Kid. I do not want to risk fractures at this age. I know many women who fall at my age and fracture their bones my last fall was this summer over a gap in the sidewalk and I broke my two front teeth, but NO BONES!!! I’ll stay on the bone medication’s, the hormones, the exercise and the eating right.

Jump to this post

@loriesco
You appear to be well-informed and do research to support that information. You are only 68 years old and fall frequently....something that you say has happened all your life. You are right to be concerned with this, having osteoporosis.

I hope you have considered and undertaken any of the many exercises that will help with balance. Tai Chi is also well known to improve balance.

Although some osteo related fractures are unrelated to falls, improving one's balance is something almost everyone can and should do....especially those of us battling osteoporosis.

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Profile picture for rjd @rjd

@loriesco
You appear to be well-informed and do research to support that information. You are only 68 years old and fall frequently....something that you say has happened all your life. You are right to be concerned with this, having osteoporosis.

I hope you have considered and undertaken any of the many exercises that will help with balance. Tai Chi is also well known to improve balance.

Although some osteo related fractures are unrelated to falls, improving one's balance is something almost everyone can and should do....especially those of us battling osteoporosis.

Jump to this post

@rjd thank you for your nice message! Interesting the falls all my life had an upside! I developed scar tissue on my knees so it is one joint which will never be replaced! I am just "clutzy." I took ballet lessons for years. I have done yoga and tai chi. I am just not careful with my body. Yes, I know some people suffer with compression fractures. There is a possibility I suffered one when they replaced my hip and the hardware was pressed too hard into my femur. My cervical spine surgery had C5 fall apart in their hands! (good news was they ground up my own bone to fill the cage with. Bad news was I needed a more extensive 2nd surgery from my back side!). Ah life. Live and learn. I don't really HAVE osteoporosis per say... I have bones which have osteoporosis and other bones osteopenia and others yet normal! Bones in your body aren't all the same density! I ask my doctors a million questions. Which is good because they no longer have the time to give me all the information I feel they should. Good luck! Stay strong!

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