Question: I was wondering whether anyone knows of any efficacious treatment of pre-
menopausal osteoporosis (induced by a bout of anorexia nervosa). Since I got
my first stress fractures 2 years ago, I've been taking Fosamax and tons of
calcuim, but my bone density hasn't improved and I've gotten more fractures.
Most endocrinologists I've talked to say there's no other treatment than the
one I'm on. Does anyone have any imput - It would be _much_ appreciated.
Answer:I am afraid that I have to agree with the endocrinologists you talked to.
In humans, only normal deposition during childhood, Fosamax, and exercise
cause useful increases in bone density. Even worse, Fosamax and exercise
are only capable of increasing bone density by a few percent, which may be
insufficient.
One other treatment -- sodium fluoride -- increases bone density;
unfortunately, the bone is improperly formed, and the increase in bone
density associated with fluoride does not decrease fracture risk.
There are some experimental treatments that *may* be helpful;
unfortunately, they may also turn out to be useless. For example, some
studies have used parathyroid hormone to induce bone formation; however,
parathyroid hormone can also cause bone loss if used improperly.
