The pH Miracle for Preventing or Reversing Bone Loss

Prolonged use of Fosamax, also referred to by the generic name bisphosphonate alendronate, may increase the risk of fractures of the femur, the large thigh bone that connects the leg to the hip, according to physicians at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

There has been a build-up of evidence suggesting that long-term alendronate use may overly suppress bone metabolism, limiting the repair of microdamage and increasing the risk of fractures, Dr. Joseph M. Lane and colleagues report in the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma.

To investigate this risk, the New York-based research team reviewed all 70 patients femoral fractures admitted to their Level 1 trauma center between 2002 and 2007.
The average patient age was 75 years and the group included 59 women. Records showed that 25 patients
(36 percent) were being treated with alendronate.

Nineteen of the 20 patients who had the same fracture pattern were also taking alendronate, the authors report.

The other patient was later diagnosed with cancer.

The average duration of alendronate use was significantly longer in patients with femoral stress fractures than in the six treated patients without this type of fracture,
6.9 years versus 2.5 years, respectively.

Otherwise, there were no significant differences in age, race, weight or history of osteoporosis among patients with and those without this fracture pattern, the report indicates.

Lane and his associates call for further research to determine if this effect is associated with all bisphosphonate drugs and if it became apparent first with alendronate because this drug has been available for the longest time and is the most widely used.

In the meantime, "physicians prescribing bisphosphonates for longer durations should monitor patients for indications of bone regeneration," Lane advises in a university press release. If a blood test shows a low level of bone turnover, he recommends that bisphosphonates be discontinued until levels return to normal.

According to Dr. Robert O. Young, a research scientist at the pH Miracle Living Center, "bone loss is the consequence of an acidic lifestyle and diet. The body pulls calcium ions into the blood from the bones to buffer excess dietary and metabolic acids that are not properly eliminated through respiration, defecation, perspiration and urination. This helps the body maintain its alkaline design."

"The use of bisphosphonates does not address the cause of bone loss - excess acidity. New research is now documenting this fact. To build healthy strong bones you need to build healthy strong blood. And healthy strong blood is built in the small intestine. Bones are a product of blood and blood is a product of a healthy bowel and a healthy bowel is a product of what you eat, what you drink, what you think and how you live. Therefore, the health of your bones is directly related to the consequences of your lifestyle and dietary choices," states Dr. Young