For many of us, when we think of a tight region of our body or a recurring sports injury or repetitive stress related problem, we tend to focus too narrowly. Our first tendency is to think in terms of treating only the area of pain or stiffness, seeking immediate relief from what most obviously appears to be ailing us. However, research over the years has shown in chiropractic and orthopedic medicine that pain or stiffness in a particular area or region of the body may be caused or perpetuated by neighboring or even opposing muscle groups, especially those which are tied into our repetitive postures, favorite sports, or athletic pursuits.
Below are two links to explain how muscles in our upper body and lower body are linked together in ways which result in typical syndromes resulting in common kinds of injuries which plague our work and athletic environments. Understanding these relationships is key to working from a "Big Picture" approach to achieve lasting relief from chronic and/or recurring musculoskeletal problems.
Upper Body Muscle Relationships -- "Upper Cross Syndrome"
http://backintoit.com/what-is-upper-crossed-syndrome/
Lower Body Muscle Relationships -- "Lower Cross Syndrome"
http://backintoit.com/what-is-lower-crossed-syndrome/
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Nutritional Recommendations for Patients
Here is a link to a list of nutritional supplements I recommend to my patients after evaluating their musculoskeletal conditions and their diets and overall health. These supplements are particularly great finds with respect to excellence of formulation, quality, and great price. Be sure to consult with your health professional before taking any of these formulas, since your individual dietary practices and health condition may warrant different choices in nutritional supplementation.
Click on the following link, and scroll to the bottom of the page, for Dr. Michael Ackerman's list of Nutritional Supplement Recommendations for his Patients...
http://depthhealing.com/Articles.html
Click on the following link, and scroll to the bottom of the page, for Dr. Michael Ackerman's list of Nutritional Supplement Recommendations for his Patients...
http://depthhealing.com/Articles.html
Monday, August 23, 2010
What Your Doctor May Not Have Told You About Statin Drugs
"Statin" drugs are a class of medication commonly prescribed for managing your cholesterol, they include Lipitor, Mevacor, Altocor, Cresor, Zocor, Simcor, Advicor, Vytorin, Pravachol, Lescol, Livalo, Lipostat, Caduet, and others.
Although Statin Drugs may achieve a 30-50% decrease in your LDL cholesterol, please thoroughly consult with your medical doctor about your alternatives to them…
Statin Drugs have many side effects you may not be aware of:
While these drugs lower the risk of heart disease, Statin drug users don’t have an overall lower mortality rate! Instead of dying from heart disease, death rates actually increase from other causes and drug-induced side effects, for example…
- Cancer – rates increase in part because Statin drugs lower the production of a compound called NFicB in white blood cells, which would otherwise act to fight cancers.
- In lowering cholesterol, Statins also lower the body’s Vitamin D levels
This Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of:
- 22 types of cancer including breast, colon, and prostate
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Hypertension
- Rhuematiod Arthritis
- Type I Diabetes
- Chronic Pain Syndromes (90 percent of people with chronic non-specific pain have Vitamin D deficiency)
*Thus you need an extra 1000 IU Vit D per day, or about 2-3000 IU total daily supplementation of Vitamin D3, if you are on Statin Drugs…
Statin Drugs also lower Coenzyme Q10 production
Due to this Coenzyme Q10 production deficiency…
- Statin drugs destroy connective tissue
- Statin users have a 14 X greater likelihood of peripheral neuropathy
"pinched nerves” throughout their bodies
- 2 years on Statin drugs increase the likelihood of a peripheral neuropathy
by about 26 fold !
- Note: If you take Coenzyme Q10 with any diabetes medication, beware that it has a further blood sugar lowering effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist!
*Thus you need to supplement an additional 500-600 mg CoQ10 per day (which is very costly) if you are on Statin Drugs.
- Statin Drugs may also cause transient global amnesia
- Statin Drugs are linked with an increased likelihood of Multiple Sclerosis
A large study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (a part of the National Institute of Health) which looked at sleep patterns of people who took the statin drug Zocor or Simvastatin found they had significantly worse sleep quality compared with people who took Pravachol or pravastatin, another non-Statin type of cholesterol-lowering drug. "The findings are significant because sleep problems can affect the quality of life and may have adverse health consequences, such as promoting weight gain and insulin resistance, as well as lowering growth hormone levels and slowing connective tissue and wound repair" said Dr. Beatrice Golomb, of the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine.
Strangely, Statin drugs work to help fight heart disease more as a result of their property of lowering inflammation in the body, versus their other property of lowering cholesterol in the body! While they lower bad cholesterol “LDL’s”, they don’t raise good cholesterol “HDL” levels, and this doesn’t create an ideal health picture. So if a person wishes to achieve the same inflammation lowering effect as Statin drugs while positively affecting their LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, the following supplements (especially combined with diet and exercise), can be better alternatives without all of the dangerous side effects discussed above…
- Omega 3 fatty acids - found in fish oils. They are 44% better at reducing overall mortality vs. Statin drugs. A daily supplement should contain 2400 mg of EPA and 1200 mg of DHA total per day. Two of the least expensive and convenient supplements which supply this amount of EPA and DHA are GNC’s “Triple Strength Fish Oil” or Puritan Pride’s “Highly Concentrated Fish Oil”, available from www.puritan.com. 5 capsules/day with meals. * DO NOT ADD FISH OILS TO YOUR DIET IF YOU ARE REGULARLY TAKING ASPIRIN OR BLOOD THINNERS. CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR FIRST. *
- “Ruby Red” Grapefruit - research has shown than eating one per day gives you nearly the equivalent cholesterol lowering effect that Statin drugs have.
(SOURCES: Gorinstein, S. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Feb. 3, 2006; online edition. News release, American Chemical Society.)
- Psyllium husk fiber (10 gm/day) and/or Ground Flax seed (50 gm/day)
- Gum Guggul: 75/100 mg/day can produce a cholesterol reduction of
14 %to 27% in 4-12 weeks, in addition to a 22% to 30%
drop in bloodtriglyceride levels, in patients with
hypercholesterolemia and/or hypertriglyceridemia.
- Policosanol: 10-20 mg / day can decrease your LDL cholesterol
between 17% and 25%, and raise HDL levels up to 29%
-- better than Statins which don’t raise HDL’s
There are several supplements on the market which combine Gum Guggul, Policosanol, and several synergistic herbal and fiber blends: "ChoLESStat” by MRM and "Cholesterol Support” by Now Foods, art two examples.
Eliminate excess Cholesterol, Saturated Fats, and Partially Hydrogenated Oils (containing Trans fat) from your diet…
Most people could achieve a cholesterol level of 150-180 by just adopting a low fat diet with a daily ingestion of no more than…
7-15 grams (65-135 calories) of saturated fat and 150-200 mg of cholesterol
Although saturated fat is the main dietary culprit that raises LDL, trans fat and cholesterol eaten in your diet also contribute significantly. Trans fat can often be found in processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils such as
vegetable shortenings and some margarines, especially margarines that are harder), crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, and baked goods. Read labels which now are required to list the types of fat content in foods. The daily intake of about 5 g of trans fat is associated with a 25% increase in the risk of coronary artery disease.
Add Cardiovascular Exercise – a minimum of 30 to 40 minutes, at least 3x per week, at 75% of your maximum heart rate level, i.e., (220-Your Age) X .75 = target heart rate. This frequency and intensity has been shown to increase HDLs and lower LDLs. If you are out of shape, start training at a lower heart rate level, for less time, and gradually build up to a level of 75% of your maximum heart rate. A good rule of thumb is never exercise at a sustained level which has you breathing so hard that you cannot carry on a normal conversation.
AS A FINAL NOTE, TAKING IN TO ACCOUNT ALL OF THE ABOVE …
In a revealing article, “The Case for Statins: Has it Really Been Made?” Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, October 2004; Volume 97, Number 10, pp. 461-464, the authors state:
The ‘positive’ outcomes of statin research studies “have been magnified by the manner of presentation of results...” For example, in a study where 100 patients take statin drugs, 2 will have a fatal heart attack. Out of 100 patients taking a placebo, 3 will have a fatal heart attack. The absolute risk reduction of a heart attack is thus clearly only 1 percent. Yet the drug company spins the pathetic results by dividing 2/3 and publishing the relative risk, which is a 33 percent reduction of a fatal heart attack! This is intentionally misleading and dishonest. These authors claim an honest disclosure based on available research to date would be to state “if you take statins then, in seven years time, there is a one chance in about 120 that your death will have been prevented.”
** Be Sure to Never Discontinue Prescription Drugs Without the Advice of your Medical Doctor **
Although Statin Drugs may achieve a 30-50% decrease in your LDL cholesterol, please thoroughly consult with your medical doctor about your alternatives to them…
Statin Drugs have many side effects you may not be aware of:
While these drugs lower the risk of heart disease, Statin drug users don’t have an overall lower mortality rate! Instead of dying from heart disease, death rates actually increase from other causes and drug-induced side effects, for example…
- Cancer – rates increase in part because Statin drugs lower the production of a compound called NFicB in white blood cells, which would otherwise act to fight cancers.
- In lowering cholesterol, Statins also lower the body’s Vitamin D levels
This Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of:
- 22 types of cancer including breast, colon, and prostate
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Hypertension
- Rhuematiod Arthritis
- Type I Diabetes
- Chronic Pain Syndromes (90 percent of people with chronic non-specific pain have Vitamin D deficiency)
*Thus you need an extra 1000 IU Vit D per day, or about 2-3000 IU total daily supplementation of Vitamin D3, if you are on Statin Drugs…
Statin Drugs also lower Coenzyme Q10 production
Due to this Coenzyme Q10 production deficiency…
- Statin drugs destroy connective tissue
- Statin users have a 14 X greater likelihood of peripheral neuropathy
"pinched nerves” throughout their bodies
- 2 years on Statin drugs increase the likelihood of a peripheral neuropathy
by about 26 fold !
- Note: If you take Coenzyme Q10 with any diabetes medication, beware that it has a further blood sugar lowering effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist!
*Thus you need to supplement an additional 500-600 mg CoQ10 per day (which is very costly) if you are on Statin Drugs.
- Statin Drugs may also cause transient global amnesia
- Statin Drugs are linked with an increased likelihood of Multiple Sclerosis
A large study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (a part of the National Institute of Health) which looked at sleep patterns of people who took the statin drug Zocor or Simvastatin found they had significantly worse sleep quality compared with people who took Pravachol or pravastatin, another non-Statin type of cholesterol-lowering drug. "The findings are significant because sleep problems can affect the quality of life and may have adverse health consequences, such as promoting weight gain and insulin resistance, as well as lowering growth hormone levels and slowing connective tissue and wound repair" said Dr. Beatrice Golomb, of the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine.
Strangely, Statin drugs work to help fight heart disease more as a result of their property of lowering inflammation in the body, versus their other property of lowering cholesterol in the body! While they lower bad cholesterol “LDL’s”, they don’t raise good cholesterol “HDL” levels, and this doesn’t create an ideal health picture. So if a person wishes to achieve the same inflammation lowering effect as Statin drugs while positively affecting their LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, the following supplements (especially combined with diet and exercise), can be better alternatives without all of the dangerous side effects discussed above…
- Omega 3 fatty acids - found in fish oils. They are 44% better at reducing overall mortality vs. Statin drugs. A daily supplement should contain 2400 mg of EPA and 1200 mg of DHA total per day. Two of the least expensive and convenient supplements which supply this amount of EPA and DHA are GNC’s “Triple Strength Fish Oil” or Puritan Pride’s “Highly Concentrated Fish Oil”, available from www.puritan.com. 5 capsules/day with meals. * DO NOT ADD FISH OILS TO YOUR DIET IF YOU ARE REGULARLY TAKING ASPIRIN OR BLOOD THINNERS. CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR FIRST. *
- “Ruby Red” Grapefruit - research has shown than eating one per day gives you nearly the equivalent cholesterol lowering effect that Statin drugs have.
(SOURCES: Gorinstein, S. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Feb. 3, 2006; online edition. News release, American Chemical Society.)
- Psyllium husk fiber (10 gm/day) and/or Ground Flax seed (50 gm/day)
- Gum Guggul: 75/100 mg/day can produce a cholesterol reduction of
14 %to 27% in 4-12 weeks, in addition to a 22% to 30%
drop in bloodtriglyceride levels, in patients with
hypercholesterolemia and/or hypertriglyceridemia.
- Policosanol: 10-20 mg / day can decrease your LDL cholesterol
between 17% and 25%, and raise HDL levels up to 29%
-- better than Statins which don’t raise HDL’s
There are several supplements on the market which combine Gum Guggul, Policosanol, and several synergistic herbal and fiber blends: "ChoLESStat” by MRM and "Cholesterol Support” by Now Foods, art two examples.
Eliminate excess Cholesterol, Saturated Fats, and Partially Hydrogenated Oils (containing Trans fat) from your diet…
Most people could achieve a cholesterol level of 150-180 by just adopting a low fat diet with a daily ingestion of no more than…
7-15 grams (65-135 calories) of saturated fat and 150-200 mg of cholesterol
Although saturated fat is the main dietary culprit that raises LDL, trans fat and cholesterol eaten in your diet also contribute significantly. Trans fat can often be found in processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils such as
vegetable shortenings and some margarines, especially margarines that are harder), crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, and baked goods. Read labels which now are required to list the types of fat content in foods. The daily intake of about 5 g of trans fat is associated with a 25% increase in the risk of coronary artery disease.
Add Cardiovascular Exercise – a minimum of 30 to 40 minutes, at least 3x per week, at 75% of your maximum heart rate level, i.e., (220-Your Age) X .75 = target heart rate. This frequency and intensity has been shown to increase HDLs and lower LDLs. If you are out of shape, start training at a lower heart rate level, for less time, and gradually build up to a level of 75% of your maximum heart rate. A good rule of thumb is never exercise at a sustained level which has you breathing so hard that you cannot carry on a normal conversation.
AS A FINAL NOTE, TAKING IN TO ACCOUNT ALL OF THE ABOVE …
In a revealing article, “The Case for Statins: Has it Really Been Made?” Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, October 2004; Volume 97, Number 10, pp. 461-464, the authors state:
The ‘positive’ outcomes of statin research studies “have been magnified by the manner of presentation of results...” For example, in a study where 100 patients take statin drugs, 2 will have a fatal heart attack. Out of 100 patients taking a placebo, 3 will have a fatal heart attack. The absolute risk reduction of a heart attack is thus clearly only 1 percent. Yet the drug company spins the pathetic results by dividing 2/3 and publishing the relative risk, which is a 33 percent reduction of a fatal heart attack! This is intentionally misleading and dishonest. These authors claim an honest disclosure based on available research to date would be to state “if you take statins then, in seven years time, there is a one chance in about 120 that your death will have been prevented.”
** Be Sure to Never Discontinue Prescription Drugs Without the Advice of your Medical Doctor **
Save a Life With The New CPR Method
Here is a link to a video demonstrating the new method of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation... It's so easy you could save a life without undergoing special training or certification, although training is highly recommended...
Visit http://tinyurl.com/2fx8r59
Visit http://tinyurl.com/2fx8r59
Monday, July 5, 2010
Relationship between low back pain and competitive sports activities during youth
At the University of Tsukuba in Japan, 4667 freshman completed a questionnaire concerning LBP and their experience in sports activities which was provided as part of a medical check when enrolling at the university. The response rate of freshman completing the questionnaire included 2620 males and 2047 females with a mean age of 18.
The focus of the questionnaire was Low Back Pain experienced during the student’s lifetime, school absence due to Low Back Pain, incidence of pain and numbness in the lower extremities, Low Back Pain during the past 4 weeks, and quitting competitive sports because of Low Back Pain. Competitive sports experience at the elementary, junior high and/or senior high school level was also included in the questionnaire, in addition to characterization of the type of sports played and length of playing career.
Pertinent Results Include:
* 60.5% of male and 63.0% of female students had experienced LBP during their lifetime
* Duration and excessive exposure to competitive sports during youth was associated with Low Back Pain and symptoms in the lower extremities
* Another key finding was that the longer the duration of participation in competitive sports is not only associated significantly with Low Back Pain during the students’ lifetimes but also the greater the proportion of school absence due to Low Back Pain, greater proportion of lower extremity pain and numbness associated with Low Back Pain and the dropout from competitive sports due to Low Back Pain.
* The authors suggest that type of sport was associated with LBP – expanding on this by saying that certain sports require specific postures and motions that may affect the onset of symptoms.
* In this study, all 8 sports groups were found to have experienced LBP at a significantly higher rate than the NO group, and volleyball was the most prevalent sport for experiencing LBP followed by baseball, track and field, basketball, swimming, kendo, tennis and soccer.
Note: As this study was conducted in Japan, sports like football and rugby, which would probably rank very highly also for promoting higher incidences of lower back pain later in life were not reviewed.
Authors: Mika H et al.
Affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
Publication Information: American Journal of Sports Medicine 2010; 38(4): 791-796.
The focus of the questionnaire was Low Back Pain experienced during the student’s lifetime, school absence due to Low Back Pain, incidence of pain and numbness in the lower extremities, Low Back Pain during the past 4 weeks, and quitting competitive sports because of Low Back Pain. Competitive sports experience at the elementary, junior high and/or senior high school level was also included in the questionnaire, in addition to characterization of the type of sports played and length of playing career.
Pertinent Results Include:
* 60.5% of male and 63.0% of female students had experienced LBP during their lifetime
* Duration and excessive exposure to competitive sports during youth was associated with Low Back Pain and symptoms in the lower extremities
* Another key finding was that the longer the duration of participation in competitive sports is not only associated significantly with Low Back Pain during the students’ lifetimes but also the greater the proportion of school absence due to Low Back Pain, greater proportion of lower extremity pain and numbness associated with Low Back Pain and the dropout from competitive sports due to Low Back Pain.
* The authors suggest that type of sport was associated with LBP – expanding on this by saying that certain sports require specific postures and motions that may affect the onset of symptoms.
* In this study, all 8 sports groups were found to have experienced LBP at a significantly higher rate than the NO group, and volleyball was the most prevalent sport for experiencing LBP followed by baseball, track and field, basketball, swimming, kendo, tennis and soccer.
Note: As this study was conducted in Japan, sports like football and rugby, which would probably rank very highly also for promoting higher incidences of lower back pain later in life were not reviewed.
Authors: Mika H et al.
Affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
Publication Information: American Journal of Sports Medicine 2010; 38(4): 791-796.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The Untold Dangers Of Taking Osteoporosis Medication
The following drugs (called bisphosphonates) all fall into the same category and have a similar effect on bone in the body:
Fosamax alendronate
Didrone etidronate (not approved by FDA for oesteoporosis)
Boniva ibandronate
Actonel risedronate
Reclast zoledronic acid
It is important to know that the side effects of these drugs include…
• pain or trouble with swallowing
• chest pain
• very bad heartburn or heartburn that does not get better
• ulcers in your stomach or esophagus (the tube that connects your mouth and stomach)
• diarrhea
• pain in extremities (arms or legs)
• dyspepsia (upset stomach)
New research findings show that while these drugs can strengthen bone in the short-term, there appears to be little further improvement in bone building after three years of use….
After four to five years, they may actually cause weakening of bones--making people more susceptible to fractures!
As part of their action in the body, these drugs cause a severe suppression in bone turnover, so bone repair is decreased, and the quality of the architecture of the bone diminishes over the long-term. Thus, after several years, people become prone to unusual types of stress fractures in the legs and long bones of the body.
Healthy perimenopasual women who merely have below average bone density may wish to consider calcium (microcrystalline hydroxyapitate is the best form), magnesium, and
vitamin D supplementation, as well as alterations in diet and exercise, as a primary treatment instead of these drugs. It takes ten years to remove these drugs from your system after discontinuing their use.
For persons at high risk for bone fractures, parathyroid hormone therapy may be a better option, yet more research needs to be done on its long-term side effects. Consult your doctor for more information.
References
1. Cummings SR, Black DM, Thompson DE, Applegate WB, Barrett-Connor E, Musliner TA, Palermo L et al. Effect of alendronate on risk of fracture in women with low bone density but without vertebral fractures: Results from the Fracture Intervention Trial. JAMA 1998: 280(24):2077-2082.
2. Pols HAP, Felsenberg D, Hanley DA, Stepan J, Munoz-Torres M, Wilkin TJ, Qin-sheng G, et al. Multinational, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of the Effects of alendronate on bone density and fracture risk in postmenopausal women with low bone mass: Results of the FOSIT study. Osteoporos Int 1999: 9:461-468.
3. Tonino RP, Meunier PJ, Emkey R, Rodrigues-Portales JA, Menkes CJ, Wasnich RD, Bone HG, Santora AC, Wu M, Desai R, Ross PD. Skeletal benefits of alendronate: 7-year treatment of postmenopausal osteoporotic women. 2999. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85:3109-3115.
4. Black DM, Thompson DE, Bauer DC, Ensrud K, Musliner T, Hochberg MC, Nevitt MC, Suryawanshi S, Cummings SR. Fracture risk reduction with alendronate in women with osteoporisis: The Fracture Intervention Trial. 2000. J Clin Encocrinol. Metab 85:4118-4124.
5. Orwol E, Ettinger M, Weiss S, Miller P, Kendler D, Graham J, Adami S, Weber K, Lorenc R, Pietschmann P, Vandormael K, Lombardi A. Alendronate for the treatment of osteoporosis in men. 2000. N Engl J Med 343:604-610.
6. Ravn p, Bidstrup M, Wasnich RD, Davis JW, McClung MR, Balske A, Coupland C et al. Alendronate and estrogen-progestin in the long-term prevention of bone loss: Four-year results from the early postmenopausal intervention cohort study: A randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 1999: 131:935-942.
7. Bone HG, Hosking D, Devogelaer J-P, Tucci JR, Emkey RD, Tonino RP, Rodriguez-Portales JA, et al. Alendronate and estrogen effects in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab 2000; 85(2):720-726.
8. Lindsay R, Cosman F, Lobo RA, Walsh BW, Harrris ST, Reagan JE, Liss CL, Melton ME, Byrnes CA. Addition of alendronate to ongoing hormone replacement therapy in the treatment of osteoporosis: A randomized, controlled clinical trial. J Clin Endocrinol & Metabol 1999; 84(9):3076-3081.
9. Odvina CV, Zerwekh JE, Sudhaker Rao D, Maalouf N, Gottschalk FA, Pak CYC. Severely suppressed bone turnover: A potential complication of alendronate therapy. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metabolism 2005; 90(3):1294-1301.
10 .Ott SM. Editorial: Long-term safety of bisphosphonates. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metabolism 2005; 90(3):1897-1899.
11. Jennifer P. Schneider. Should Bisphosphonates be Continued Indefinitely? An Unusual Fracture in a Healthy Woman on Long-Term Alendronate. Geriatrics 2006; 61(1) :31-33,
Fosamax alendronate
Didrone etidronate (not approved by FDA for oesteoporosis)
Boniva ibandronate
Actonel risedronate
Reclast zoledronic acid
It is important to know that the side effects of these drugs include…
• pain or trouble with swallowing
• chest pain
• very bad heartburn or heartburn that does not get better
• ulcers in your stomach or esophagus (the tube that connects your mouth and stomach)
• diarrhea
• pain in extremities (arms or legs)
• dyspepsia (upset stomach)
New research findings show that while these drugs can strengthen bone in the short-term, there appears to be little further improvement in bone building after three years of use….
After four to five years, they may actually cause weakening of bones--making people more susceptible to fractures!
As part of their action in the body, these drugs cause a severe suppression in bone turnover, so bone repair is decreased, and the quality of the architecture of the bone diminishes over the long-term. Thus, after several years, people become prone to unusual types of stress fractures in the legs and long bones of the body.
Healthy perimenopasual women who merely have below average bone density may wish to consider calcium (microcrystalline hydroxyapitate is the best form), magnesium, and
vitamin D supplementation, as well as alterations in diet and exercise, as a primary treatment instead of these drugs. It takes ten years to remove these drugs from your system after discontinuing their use.
For persons at high risk for bone fractures, parathyroid hormone therapy may be a better option, yet more research needs to be done on its long-term side effects. Consult your doctor for more information.
References
1. Cummings SR, Black DM, Thompson DE, Applegate WB, Barrett-Connor E, Musliner TA, Palermo L et al. Effect of alendronate on risk of fracture in women with low bone density but without vertebral fractures: Results from the Fracture Intervention Trial. JAMA 1998: 280(24):2077-2082.
2. Pols HAP, Felsenberg D, Hanley DA, Stepan J, Munoz-Torres M, Wilkin TJ, Qin-sheng G, et al. Multinational, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of the Effects of alendronate on bone density and fracture risk in postmenopausal women with low bone mass: Results of the FOSIT study. Osteoporos Int 1999: 9:461-468.
3. Tonino RP, Meunier PJ, Emkey R, Rodrigues-Portales JA, Menkes CJ, Wasnich RD, Bone HG, Santora AC, Wu M, Desai R, Ross PD. Skeletal benefits of alendronate: 7-year treatment of postmenopausal osteoporotic women. 2999. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85:3109-3115.
4. Black DM, Thompson DE, Bauer DC, Ensrud K, Musliner T, Hochberg MC, Nevitt MC, Suryawanshi S, Cummings SR. Fracture risk reduction with alendronate in women with osteoporisis: The Fracture Intervention Trial. 2000. J Clin Encocrinol. Metab 85:4118-4124.
5. Orwol E, Ettinger M, Weiss S, Miller P, Kendler D, Graham J, Adami S, Weber K, Lorenc R, Pietschmann P, Vandormael K, Lombardi A. Alendronate for the treatment of osteoporosis in men. 2000. N Engl J Med 343:604-610.
6. Ravn p, Bidstrup M, Wasnich RD, Davis JW, McClung MR, Balske A, Coupland C et al. Alendronate and estrogen-progestin in the long-term prevention of bone loss: Four-year results from the early postmenopausal intervention cohort study: A randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 1999: 131:935-942.
7. Bone HG, Hosking D, Devogelaer J-P, Tucci JR, Emkey RD, Tonino RP, Rodriguez-Portales JA, et al. Alendronate and estrogen effects in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab 2000; 85(2):720-726.
8. Lindsay R, Cosman F, Lobo RA, Walsh BW, Harrris ST, Reagan JE, Liss CL, Melton ME, Byrnes CA. Addition of alendronate to ongoing hormone replacement therapy in the treatment of osteoporosis: A randomized, controlled clinical trial. J Clin Endocrinol & Metabol 1999; 84(9):3076-3081.
9. Odvina CV, Zerwekh JE, Sudhaker Rao D, Maalouf N, Gottschalk FA, Pak CYC. Severely suppressed bone turnover: A potential complication of alendronate therapy. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metabolism 2005; 90(3):1294-1301.
10 .Ott SM. Editorial: Long-term safety of bisphosphonates. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metabolism 2005; 90(3):1897-1899.
11. Jennifer P. Schneider. Should Bisphosphonates be Continued Indefinitely? An Unusual Fracture in a Healthy Woman on Long-Term Alendronate. Geriatrics 2006; 61(1) :31-33,
Monday, January 11, 2010
How Well Do You Know Your Medications?
Know Your Drugs and Their Side Effects
Here are useful links for persons who are taking prescription and non-prescription medications, and who would like to learn more about the drugs they are taking and how they interact with other drugs, foods, and nutrients. The information and links provided are to give you information only, and are not personal recommendations.
Please never discontinue any medications on your own, this could be very dangerous. Instead, bring any information you may find to your medical doctor in order to discuss any questions or particular concerns you may have.
Up-to-Date Information on Drug Side Effects
These links give you current research on the potential side effects of medications.
The Risks of Asprin, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Alleve, and Similar Drugs
Statin Drugs: Mevacor, Altocor, Zocor, Lipitor, Lescol, Pravachol
DrugWatch.com
Drugs.com
Interactions Between Drugs You Are Taking - Are your Medications Safe to Take Together?
The "Interactions checkers" on these websites allow you to create a list of all of your medications and then determine if there are any possible problems with taking them all together.
Drugs.com Interactions Checker
Medscape Interactions Checker
Drug - Nutrient Interactions: Which of Your Drugs Interfere with Vitamins and Minerals?
These websites provide information on how different drugs may interact with different foods,
vitamins, herbs, and minerals, and how you may need to supplement your diet if you are on
certain medications. Again consult your medical doctor if you wish to add any supplements.
The Best Drug - Nutrient Interaction Chart and Analyzer
Drug and Vitamin and Herbal Interactions Article & Table
Here are useful links for persons who are taking prescription and non-prescription medications, and who would like to learn more about the drugs they are taking and how they interact with other drugs, foods, and nutrients. The information and links provided are to give you information only, and are not personal recommendations.
Please never discontinue any medications on your own, this could be very dangerous. Instead, bring any information you may find to your medical doctor in order to discuss any questions or particular concerns you may have.
Up-to-Date Information on Drug Side Effects
These links give you current research on the potential side effects of medications.
The Risks of Asprin, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Alleve, and Similar Drugs
Statin Drugs: Mevacor, Altocor, Zocor, Lipitor, Lescol, Pravachol
DrugWatch.com
Drugs.com
Interactions Between Drugs You Are Taking - Are your Medications Safe to Take Together?
The "Interactions checkers" on these websites allow you to create a list of all of your medications and then determine if there are any possible problems with taking them all together.
Drugs.com Interactions Checker
Medscape Interactions Checker
Drug - Nutrient Interactions: Which of Your Drugs Interfere with Vitamins and Minerals?
These websites provide information on how different drugs may interact with different foods,
vitamins, herbs, and minerals, and how you may need to supplement your diet if you are on
certain medications. Again consult your medical doctor if you wish to add any supplements.
The Best Drug - Nutrient Interaction Chart and Analyzer
Drug and Vitamin and Herbal Interactions Article & Table
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