A new study has shown that an infusion of the bisphosphonate Reclast (zoledronate), prescribed as a stand-alone osteoporosis treatment and to offset the rapid bone loss that occurs after stopping treatment with Prolia (denosumab), doesn’t help to preserve bone mineral density. Savers know that osteoporosis drugs are neither effective nor safe, yet doctors continue to prescribe them in spite of studies like the one we’ll review today.
Meanwhile, Big Pharma is in the process of developing an osteoarthritis drug with the mechanism of action of a failed experimental osteoporosis drug that had to be dropped due to its dangerous side effects.
And last but not least, this month’s Bulletin ends on a high note. A British study has found that as little as one to two minutes of medium-to-high intensity exercise on a daily basis improves bone health. It’s a powerful testament that if we provide our bones with what they need, they will thrive.
New Study: Zolendronate Infusion Fails To Halt Bone Loss
A case study has shed light on the ineffectiveness of the popular bisphosphonate zoledronate, also known as zoledronic acid and marketed as Reclast in the U.S. and Aclasta in Europe. In addition to its usual application as a yearly infusion, it is also often prescribed to women at the end of treatment with Prolia, (denosumab).
When denosumab treatment is discontinued, bone resorption (which was previously being blocked by the drug) rapidly picks back up and reaches twice its normal rate within a year of the last injection. Stopping the drug treatment results in a drastic drop in bone mineral density (BMD) and an increase in fracture risk.1 To address this problem, doctors often prescribe one infusion of zoledronate.
The report, published in the Medical Journal Calcified Tissue International, followed women with the goal of establishing whether zoledronate is an effective means of preventing bone loss after the discontinuation of long-term treatment with denosumab.
Relevant Excerpt:
“The six women, who had received continuous denosumab for seven years, had substantial gains in bone mineral density (BMD) — increasing 18.5% in the spine and 6.9% in total hip. The patients were given a single infusion of zoledronate (5 mg) six months after the last dose of denosumab. Post-zoledronate BMDs were measured 18-23 months after treatment. The findings:
There were significant BMD declines at each site (Pspine = 0.043, Phip = 0.005).
Spine BMD remained significantly above the pre-denosumab baseline (+9.3%, P = 0.003), but hip BMD was not significantly different from baseline (?2.9%).
Serum P1NP levels were between 39 and 60 ?g/L (mean 52 ?g/L), suggesting that the zoledronate treatment had insufficiently inhibited bone turnover.
The authors conclude that administration of a single infusion of zoledronate six months after the last dose of denosumab is not sufficient to preserve the BMD gains that result from long-term denosumab treatment.”1
In spite of this clear evidence that these drugs don’t work, doctors continue to prescribe them. Anti-resorptive drugs, which include bisphosphonates, don’t work for a very simple reason: they disrupt the natural bone remodeling process, preventing your body from safely replacing old bone with newer, stronger bone. When your body can’t remove damaged bone due to these drugs, it piles up new bone over the old, creating denser– but more brittle– bones, which are more prone to fracture.
It’s no wonder that when treatment with Prolia is stopped, osteoclasts work hard to remove the damaged bone it was forced to leave behind. Taking a second drug to prevent that response creates the same problems, but with a whole new swath of side effects.
This is yet more proof that a drug-free osteoporosis treatment is the safest and most effective way to increase the density, quality, and strength of your bones without the laundry list of awful side effects, the disappointment, and expense of a failed course of pharmaceutical treatment.
Experimental Osteoarthritis Drug Mimics Merck’s Failed Osteoporosis Medication Odanacatib
Medivir AB, a European pharmaceutical company, has reported that test results show that an experimental osteoarthritis drug doesn’t have the pain-relieving effect they were hoping to establish. However, they found that the drug slowed the thinning of bone area and cartilage in the knees of patients. They claim that this data demonstrates that the drug, called MIV-711, could be the first disease-modifying drug for osteoarthritis.2
This experimental drug has the same mechanism of action as Merck’s failed osteoporosis drug odanacatib, which we have previously written about. During Phase III trials, odanacatib, a cathepsin K inhibitor, increased the risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke to the extent that Merck had to give up on its development.
Relevant Excerpt:
“MIV-711 is a potent and selective inhibitor of cathepsin K, the principal protease involved in breaking down collagen in bone and cartilage. It is being developed to slow or reverse the progressive degeneration of joints affected by osteoarthritis, and is therefore referred to as a Disease Modifying Osteoarthritis Drug (DMOAD). Since there are no DMOADs approved for use currently, the standard of care for osteoarthritis patients is based on changes in lifestyle and the use of analgesics. The long-term use of analgesics by osteoarthritis patients is associated with an increased risk of side effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding and opioid dependency. DMOADs therefore represent a very large and attractive market opportunity. Medivir estimates that the US market alone is greater than USD 6 billion annually for a drug that impacts disease progression, even if its use was restricted to patient populations with moderate osteoarthritis in weight-bearing joints.
About the MIV-711 phase IIa studies
MIV-711-201 was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase IIa clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of 6 months of treatment with MIV-711 compared to placebo for the treatment of patients with moderate knee osteoarthritis. MIV-711-201 enrolled 244 patients. The primary endpoint was the change in patient-reported average knee pain.”2
Participants were divided between a control group and two groups taking different doses of MIV-711: 100 or 200 mg once daily over the six month period. At the end of the study, those on the drug showed a 65% reduction in bone loss, regardless of dosage. Participants on the highest dose of the drug experienced a slight increase in cartilage thickness, while those on low doses saw a 70% reduction in median loss of femoral cartilage thickness relative to the placebo group.2
The drug had no impact on the joint pain experienced by participants.
Medivir is actively seeking a partner for the development of MIV-711, touting the billions of dollars they expect to earn once the drug is approved for manufacture. We’ll be keeping an eye out for new developments on this, with the expectation that, as was the case with odanacatib, MIV-711 will also cause terrible side effects.
Running Just One Minute Every Day Could Save Your Bones
Just one minute of intentional and vigorous exercise per day can help women improve their bone health.3 The good news comes from a study conducted at the University of Exeter in England.
Researchers used data from the UK Biobank, a large-scale study that tracks the health information of a pool of participants. For this study, they compared physical activity levels to bone health in 2,500 women using wrist-worn monitors and ultrasound scans.
Relevant Excerpt:
“The researchers found that those who completed 60 to 120 seconds a day of high-intensity, weight-bearing activity — i.e., a medium-paced run for pre-menopausal females, or a slow jog for post-menopausal women — reaped the rewards of at least 4% better bone health than those who didn’t do such exercise.
“We don’t yet know whether it’s better to accumulate this small amount of exercise in bits throughout each day or all at once, and also whether a slightly longer bout of exercise on one or two days per week is just as good as 1-2 minutes a day,” says lead author Dr. Victoria Stiles, “but there’s a clear link between this kind of high-intensity, weight-bearing exercise and better bone health in women.”4
The study analyzed the women’s physical activity second-by-second to establish the difference between endurance activities and short bursts of exercise. It also found that women who did more than two minutes of high-intensity weight-bearing exercise a day showed six percent better bone health than those who did less than a minute.
It’s no surprise to Savers that weight-bearing exercise creates stronger more resilient bones, but it’s always exciting to have the latest scientific research confirm it.
The Densercise™ Epidensity Training System provides an easy-to-follow routine of efficient, targeted moves, including weight bearing, resistance, and postural exercises.
Take The Guesswork Out Of Exercising For Your Bones
Learn the 52 exercise moves that jumpstart bone-building – all backed by the latest in epigenetics research.
Till next time,
References:
1 International Osteoporosis Foundation. “Bone loss after denosumab, only partial protection with zoledronate: Case series of six women with postmenopausal osteoporosis who had received continuous denosumab for seven years and were then given a single infusion of zoledronate..” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 August 2017.
2 “Medivir Announces Positive Topline Results from Phase IIa Osteoarthritis Study, Showing Disease-modifying Benefit of MIV-711 on Joint Structure” Press Release. September 25, 2017. Web: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medivir-announces-positive-topline-results-from-phase-iia-osteoarthritis-study-showing-disease-modifying-benefit-of-miv-711-on-joint-structure-300525422.html
3 Stiles VH, et al. “A small amount of precisely measured high-intensity habitual physical activity predicts bone health in pre- and post-menopausal women in UK Biobank.” International Journal of Epidemiology. June 29, 2017. Web: https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyx080
4 Daniel Steingold. “Just One Minute Of High-Intensity Exercise A Day Improves Women’s Bone Health, Study Finds.”. July 31, 2017. Web: https://www.studyfinds.org/minute-exercise-bon
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How To Avoid And Eliminate Neck PainComments on this article are closed.
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Hi Frances,
Please check your inbox for a message from Customer Support. 🙂
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can the effects of plavix taken every day for the past five years have any affect on one,s bones?
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Hi Merilyn,
All medications are acidifying, so Plavix could certainly affect your toxic load and body pH, which in turn can affect your bone health.
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Can I just mention that, if my memory serves me right, just five prunes per day has been proven to increase bone density by (I think!) 11% in a year.
If that is right, that is superior to any drug – notwithstanding that 11% would be an average and we, and our circumstances, are all different.
Kindest regards to all.
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I do about 30-40 minutes of walking daily as it is the best low impact exercise, I can do with pain of osteoarthritis. I do a mini-run-in place at home for short spurts while watching TV. Just keeping active is the key.
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Thank you for this information about biphosphonates.
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Thanks again Vivian for your valuable information. I intend to let my Dr read it if he mentions these drugs again. I’m already arguing with my GI Dr about giving me stomach meds that won’t let me have exposure to sunlight. The last time I had a drug that said that, I forgot, as I have always tanned not burned. Big mistake. The next day my face was burned and swollen from just 15 min’s! My biggest fear is that if I refuse, he’ll take away my painkillers for my back, leaving me totally disabled and not be able to put on my own socks! All the DR’s have gone crazy on psychiatric drugs as a substitute for opioids. If they work, I don’t have a problem there, but when they start mixing all them with everything else and you suddenly feel angry or depressed, they want to give you something else to counteract that! My stomach can’t handle it. So, I’ll take my vitamins and minerals and God’s sunshine, exercise as much as my back let’s me and hope that maybe like all these ” sudden ” sexual harassment complaints, more women and men will come forward and say, No. This is what happened to me after I took those drugs that make so many very sick. On a happier note, your exercises are helping me become more mobile, with less fear of falls. Yeah! Merry Christmas??!
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Hi Vivian
I purchased your book 3 years ago and share it with other people. I’m trying to do the diet best as possible I was diagnosed with osteopenia and then osteoporosis. my doctor recommendation of caltrate and dairy which I read in your book and made me furious to know that I was getting the wrong information, so in the last 2 yrs or so i’m really trying to eat better, organic no dairy and stay on your diet plan but I have a question about these foods with asthma. in the last eight months I’ve been trying to get healed of asthma . Do you have anything that might be of a help to get rid of it, thank you-
Hi Donna,
Please check your inbox for a message from Customer Support. 🙂
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In today’ article, you made the mistake in the first Paragraph saying that Prolix was odanicatib instead of denosumab.
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Thanks for the heads-up on the typo, Charlotte. We’ve corrected it 🙂
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Dear Vivian,
My sister is a quadriplegic and has been in a wheelchair for nearly 12 years. She has severe osteoporosis and can no longer stand upright in her wheelchair as a weight bearing activity because her bones are so fragile. Her doctor wants her to take Prolia and I’m very concerned about the side effects of this drug, especially since it will be in her system for 6 months. Given her situation, what would you recommend?-
Hi Cass,
Your sister certainly has a challenging situation, and I wish her the best. Remember, at the Save Institute, we consider it a personal decision as to whether or not to take any drug. I want to encourage you and your sister to research, learn as much as you can, and make an informed decision as to how to proceed. Every situation is different, and ultimately, your sister is the best expert regarding her own body and what she feels she can and can not tolerate.
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Vivian can I ask a question please I have ur exercise book which I have been doing until I had bad fall and now have a prolapse not saying two related just wanted to know can I still do some of your exercises with the kegel ones or should I not di them at all then what about my bones.I do walk every day an hour in morning and again in afternoon with my two little dogs will this still help bones. Look forward to hearing from you thanks e birrell
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Walking is excellent, Elizabeth! But when it comes to individual health issues such as a prolapse, it’s important that you check with your doctor or physical therapist as to what exercises you should do and what ones you should avoid. You don’t want to cause further injury or exacerbate your prolapse. More importantly, your doctor or PT will be familiar with your medical history and can recommend specific exercises that can help your condition.
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Vivian,
I have watched your 5 exercises you filmed on YouTube and they are so very good. I have your 52 exercises from your book and would you consider providing some additional YouTube demonstrations with you explaining and doing all 3 levels of the exercise. Some are very easy to understand but a lot take the proper form as not to injure and also maximize the high intensity work. Your weekly emails could have your YouTube vs the visual computer generated move. Thank you!-
Thanks for the feedback, Kathy, and I am so glad that you are enjoying the 52 “Densercises” and the Weekend Challenges! Remember, Densercise has online video demonstrations that help clarify each move. 🙂
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I am in the same boat as Trudy. Have been active all my life, weigh 105, and last year diagnosed with osteoporosis. I’ve had neck surgery, broke a wrist, and broke 3 ribs all in the last 2 years. Doctor’s marvel at how fast and good my bones heal, and yet I have osteoporosis. I don’t understand how that can be. It boggles my mind. Vivian, can you explain how this can happen?
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Hi Sue,
You probably have your active lifestyle to thank for the fast healing you’re experiencing, Sue – at least in part! If you are able to switch to a pH-balanced diet in addition to staying as active as possible, then your bones will be more likely to be fracture-resistant in addition to healing quickly.
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I have been suffering with my second compression fracture. The pain has been horrendous. I am having vertebroplasty done this morning. I know they will want me to take these so called bone saving drugs. I had been trying to eat a more alkaline diet but I guess I didn’t do enough. What does someone like me do? I do not want to take those drugs.
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I am so very sorry to hear that you’re in such pain, Nancy. The pain of a compression fracture is no joke. Remember, though, that you are in control of your treatment options. Choose what you think is best for you based on your research, and try not to let the pain “tell” you what to do, if that makes sense. Sometimes, when we’re suffering, we’re more likely to do whatever the doctor says without thinking. So don’t be afraid to stick to your beliefs about osteoporosis drugs, and remember that “this too shall pass.” Hang in there!
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Hi Vivian
It all sounds good and may help in most cases, however, it did not help me. I exercised all my life, did weight bearing exercise in the gym at least twice a week for 16 years until I had a prolapsed disc/2 spinal surgeries + 2 knee surgeries, did aerobics, jogged, played tennis, swam etc. and still suffered bone loss – osteopenia. I was put on Fosamax, then Actonel, which I ditched after reading your book/blogs and changed my diet to more alkaline food. I still keep active but can only go for long walks on the beach, swim and do light dumbbell exercises due to my back and knee problems. I wonder what went wrong in my case as I always thought I did the right thing keeping fit and slim and sticking to my exercise regime. I hope other women have more luck exercising as advised. Regardless, I managed to increase my bone density slightly by following your recommendations re alkaline diet, switching to organic calcium, getting rid of Actonel, which cost me 5 good teeth in the process and decreased my bone density even further.
Thanks Vivian for all your good work, much appreciated!
Cheers Trudy-
I would suggest that Trudy take Vitamin K2 for at least 3 years, as I did. I did not exercise or take calcium during this time frame. But my bone density increased so much that the dexa tech threw out my scores thinking that the machine was malfunctioning.
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Trudy, it’s entirely possible that your situation could be much worse if you hadn’t kept in such good shape all those years! The important thing is that you are on the right track now, and you’re doing whatever exercise you are able to do (walking, swimming, and light dumbbell work are excellent!), and you’re following a pH-balanced diet. Keep up the good work!
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I just finished reading your book. Prunes were listed as being acidifying. But I have also heard that prunes increase BD. What is your position on this? Also do any of your recommended supplements help with osteonecrosis?