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Improve bone density and strength without medication?
Any luck improving bone density and strength without medication? It seems the medications only mildly help ... and they only help some patients; some studies show the slight improvement in density does not mean quality bone was built. I'm not comfortable with moving forward with the treatments just because "that's what we give patients with osteoporosis". There seems to be no room for education or discussion, or research into actual results or other options.
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For a long time my wife was taking FOSOMAX until we read that after so many years it loses its effectiveness. About the same time we read that eating prunes regularly strengthens the bones. What did we have to lose. Eating 4 prunes daily every day her bone density has increased in her last two bone density tests.
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8 Reactionsplav, that's interesting. I'm wondering which four.
Prolia would have to be one, but even Prolia you can't stay on forever. All of these drugs should be transitioned after a different number of years.
You are right to insist upon individualized treatment. One size fits all is disturbing enough in clothing. It requires more effort on the part of our physicians, more testing and more knowlege.
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2 ReactionsHi susanjane77, the Bone Coach program is here:
https://bonecoach.com
I purchased the "no coach" option because it is cheaper, and I figured I could handle the details by myself. It took much more time than I realized (I am still working) and since the program access is for life (no time cut-off), I will pursue it when I retire later this year. Much of the program is based on finding the right thing for you to do, depending on your history and how you are losing bone mass. He walks you through which tests are important, what the tests are, how to find good doctors you can work with. It looked like a good amount of the program is based on scientific evidenced results.
The other is a 15 minute video available for free on YouTube:
and there is a 2 year research study that supports the results. When looking at fully-documented patients following the daily yoga regime, is not a large study (~14-27 participants), and there are caveats and limitations to the study. However, if you can participate in the specific poses in the short daily practice, it can help your balance which can reduce falls. From the article: "Yoga poses were selected specifically to produce torque and bending of the proximal femur, compression of the pelvis, and twisting of the lumbar vertebral bodies. The choice was determined because these are the most common sites of osteoporotic fractures and the anatomical regions measured by the DXA scan." I myself hadn't done much yoga but after 2 months of 6-7 times per week, I felt I had really improved my general ability to do these 12 poses, as well as my general flexibility.
I have attached 2 documents if you want more information: The study article that was published by Fishman and his co-authors; and a pdf with single pictures of each pose (there are more poses in the pdf as well, but these are for a class they have offered in the past).
If you would rather read a webpage, the published article is here: https://journals.lww.com/topicsingeriatricrehabilitation/fulltext/2016/04000/twelve_minute_daily_yoga_regimen_reverses.3.aspx
There is also a book that I haven't read yet that looks like it explains a lot more about the yoga practices:
Yoga for Osteoporosis: The Complete Guide 1st Edition
by Loren Fishman MD (Author), Ellen Saltonstall MD (Author)
I will be investigating traditional medications at some point because I don't see how I can avoid them in the future.
Twelve_Minute_Daily_Yoga_Regimen_Reverses (Twelve_Minute_Daily_Yoga_Regimen_Reverses.3.pdf)
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4 ReactionsThank you so much for the info. The bone coach program looks great. I used to do yoga but with this info, I will ease back into it as I was always afraid that certain poses would make my back feel worse Thanks again!
Here is a study from 2020 on MK-7:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7230802/
This article cites a study on rats claiming primary benefits from MK-7 are improving bone strength not increasing bone mineral density.
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3 ReactionsGlad to hear your wife's bone density increased. Do you think her bone density improved from the Fosomax or the prunes or both?
Definitely the prunes. She was on FOSOMAX for nearly 10 years and no improvements. After the first year on prunes and noticeable improvement in bone density, commented on by hospital. Two years later next bone density another increase. I must emphasis she ate the four prunes nearly every day, eating now and then I doubt would have worked for her.
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2 ReactionsThanks for sharing this. It goes to show that drugs aren’t necessarily the only option for increasing bone density. It makes me feel better about my no drug approach to dealing with my osteoporosis.
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4 ReactionsFosamax technically isn't a bone builder. With severe osteoporosis and a history of fracture, I would be scared to rely on prunes, but it would be helpful info as an addition to bone building meds!
This study (Funded by the Prune Boards!) says 5-6 prunes a day
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/eating-5-to-6-prunes-a-day-may-prevent-bone-loss-osteoporosis
“Our study is the first to reveal that consuming just 5-6 prunes a day prevented a loss of bone mineral density at the hip, the site of most concern for aging men and women as hip fractures commonly lead to hospitalization, diminished quality of life, and loss of independence.”
— Dr. Mary Jane De Souza
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2 ReactionsYou are welcome, we also look to diet as our first approach, medicine as last resort. It is important when relying on diet to be maintain that diet daily so that the body build up a defense. As with the prunes if we just ate them now and then, it would not work, must be daily.