Osteoporosis is a disease which results in weakened bones, especially the hip, spine and wrist. Injuries and falling usually mean bone fractures and significant healing time for the deteriorated bones.  Women experiencing menopause are particularly susceptible to bone loss but everyone should pay attention to keeping their bones as strong as possible through healthy habits.  The best way to prevent this disease is to get the correct amount of calcium and vitamin D, do regular weight-bearing exercise and utilize the bioDensity training equipment if you have one in your area.  Not smoking and eating a well-balanced diet are proven to help as well.  Physical Therapy can provide excellent muscle-strengthening exercises and help improve balance to prevent falls. The best way to find out your current bone density and if you have the beginnings of osteoporosis is to get a specialized test called a dual energy x-ray absorbtiometry, commonly called a DEXA scan.  

All women older than 65 (or younger if there are certain risk factors like family history, smoking, alcohol use, low body weight or premature menopause. Also, the use of antidepressants, steroids or epilepsy drugs can increase the risk of osteoporosis.
All men older than 70! (Gentlemen, are you willing to pay out of your pocket because I am not aware of Medicare reimbursement for this)
All postmenopausal women and men >50 who have a history of abnormal fractures.
 
Please note that ALL patients with osteoporosis should be treated with medication.
NOT every patient with OSTEOPENIA needs medications! Only those at risk for fractures.
 
Please note that most CALCIUM should be dietary and only about 500 mg/day should come form a pill and that everyone should take at least 1000 units of Vitamin D3 daily.
Also weight bearing exercise can not be emphasized enough.

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements are used to slow the progression of osteoarthritis — the deterioration of cartilage between joint bones — and to reduce the associated pain. A study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) called the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (or GAIT study), showed that the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate seems to be effective in osteoarthritis patients with moderate to severe knee pain, although not those with mild pain. However, a 2007 review of several past, large-scale studies of chondroitin alone concluded that it did not provide a benefit.
A well-controlled study of glucosamine sulfate (1,500 mg per day) versus placebo for lower back pain caused by osteoarthritis showed that both glucosamine and placebo improved symptoms reported by patients. However, there was no significant difference in the level of improvement between the groups, suggesting that glucosamine is not truly effective for lower back pain (Wilkens, JAMA 2010).
A six-month study of chondroitin sulfate (800 mg once daily) versus placebo in patients with hand osteoarthritis showed a significantly greater decrease in hand pain and improvement in hand function among those taking chondroitin sulfate (Gabay, Arth & Rheum 2011). The duration of morning stiffness was also slightly reduced. These benefits were not noticeable until after 3 months of treatment. There was no significant difference in grip strength or the amount of analgesic used by patients. The chondroitin tested in the study was a tablet containing highly purified (95% pure) chondroitin of fish origin and is marketed as Chondrosulf (IBSA, Switzerland) in Europe where it is approved as a “Symptomatic Slow Acting Drug for Osteoarthritis” (IBSA website – accessed 9/21/2011).
Results may vary from patient to patient, but I can not recommend the use of glucosamine at this time. It is possible that chondroitin may be beneficial for hand pain, but be patient as it could take up to 3 months to work.
Please remember that OTC arthritis pills like Advil or Aleve will help pain but do NOTHING to reverse arthritis. These medications do have a lot of potentially severe side effects and you should discuss their use with your physician. 

www.kaizentotalwellness.com   (941)556-7788
www.drmishner.com   (941)747-2090

We have been using this technology at Kaizen Total Wellness® for the past 1 1/2 years with a great deal of success! We are currently the only facility in Florida offering this combination of technologies. If you have been diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis, this may be used by itself or in conjunction with prescription medications.

BStrong4Life™,  a Chicago-based wellness company has launched a 6-month pilot study to determine the effectiveness of their system on improving bone mineral density without medication. The system is a combination of two technologies: Power Plate, and bioDensity,  as well as a proprietary training system that integrates the two.
Power Plate equipment works on the principles of whole-body vibration. This proprietary system uses warm-up procedures to prepare the user for each bioDensity session and to optimize performance. The Power Plate equipment vibrates almost imperceptibly, causing whole body vibrations that create instability and trigger reflexive contractions in the muscles, as frequently as 25 to 50 times per second.
The equipment also oscillates, so the muscles must contract in multiple dimensions. This technique stimulates the fast-twitch muscle fibers, which can lead to increased muscle strength, endurance and overall agility. The user stands on the equipment while performing either static or dynamic exercises.
The user creates as much muscular force as possible while performing four comprehensive static isometric muscle contractions. The equipment uses a patented load cell/software interface that precisely measures, tabulates and records muscular force output at 30 times per second. All physical efforts are recorded, and compared and contrasted over time. Each user receives a Performance Report at the conclusion of each training session.

First there was the snake-oil salesman who found that by claiming his product cured numerous ailments more people were enticed to buy it, and pay a higher price as well.  Constantly traveling from town to town served him well because people eventually discovered his boasts and 'guarantees' were false.  Today we are aware and against any false advertising and there are many laws and regulations, especially for things we consume such as vitamins, supplements, medicine, alcohol, tobacco and food.  Currently there are several health claims which are approved for legal use in the U.S. as long as they meet FDA-established criteria.  You will recognize them because of course manufacturers use them in marketing.  These are some of the valid claims which show a tested and true relationship: Consumption of dietary (non-sugar) sweeteners and reduced risk of dental caries; Diets rich in whole grain foods and reduced risk of heat disease and certain cancers; Consumption of soluble fiber from certain foods and reduced risk of coronary heart disease; Diets low in sodium and reduced risk of hypertension; Diets low in total fat and reduced risk of cancer; Diets with enough calcium and reduced risk of osteoporosis in certain populations.   Do not assume that health claims you read are valid, check them out for yourself.  For complete information about claims and food labeling visit www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation

Osteoporosis is a very common disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. For many years, studies have shown use of a calcium supplement has been recommended for postmenopausal women to decrease fracture risk. A recent article talks about studies that are now questioning the use of calcium in reducing fracture risk:
Four of the studies indicated that calcium users may be at increased risk for renal stones and gastrointestinal problems.