The Better Bones Blog
by Dr. Susan Brown, PhD.
Forteo follow-up: Three reports of osteosarcoma using this drug
If you saw my earlier blog on the osteoporosis drug Forteo™, you will recall that the drug was found to cause a rare, serious bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in rodents, but drug proponents suggested such cancers would not occur in humans. But this week I found that there have already been three reported cases of this […]
Parathyroid hormone and magnesium: when “normal” is not always a good thing
This week, I’m at the 2009 national meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research in Denver, Colorado, learning about the most recent findings in bone research. I wanted to pass along an intriguing bit of information about magnesium deficiency and bone health. If you’ve been following our work at the Center for […]
Update on prunes reversing bone loss
It is September 13, 2009, and I am at the largest U.S. meeting of bone researchers (the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research meetings in Denver), and I am pleased to give you a follow-up report on prunes and their amazing ability to reverse bone loss. At this year’s meeting, Professor Bahram Arjmandi […]
Encouraging data on declining hip fractures
Let’s face it: the number one fear of most people with osteoporosis is fracturing a hip, and for good reason. Hip fractures are physically and financially debilitating, and may even shorten your lifespan. But new research gives us reason to be hopeful: the U.S. hip fracture rate is falling. This may come as a surprise […]
One woman’s ordeal with osteoporosis medications: there’s a better way!
If you’re thinking about starting a medication for osteoporosis or are unhappy with your current drug regimen, there’s a story I want you to hear. A woman in her 50s with osteoporosis, Joan, recently came to my office looking for help with her bone health. Listening to her story is enough to send you scrambling […]
A “dowager’s hump” does not always mean spinal fracture
Much of the fear generated around osteoporosis stems from pictures of stooped, hump-backed, downward-looking elderly women. This vertebral deformity, often called a “dowager’s hump” and technically known as “kyphosis,” has come to be a dreaded tell-tale sign of the crippling potential of osteoporosis. New research, however, indicates that contrary to popular opinion, this feared spinal […]