Save Our Bones Bulletin: Statin Benefits Exaggerated, Osteoporosis Drugs Raise Mortality Risk, New Device Measures Bone Quality, And More!

Vivian Goldschmidt, MA Inspiration News

Evidence-Based
8 min Read
save our bones bulletin

Fraud and deception…early death…hand-held technology for measuring bone quality…this month’s Bulletin sounds a bit like a science fiction thriller!

First, we cover how the public has been misled. A new study exposes the myth that statins improve cardiovascular health, and we also take a look at the rampant nature of research fraud.

Next, I share another just-published study that uncovers the Establishment’s lies about osteoporosis drugs, as new data reveals their deadly effects.

And finally, Mainstream Science is getting around to recognizing the importance of bone quality over quantity, and has a brand new, hand-held device for measuring it.

Let’s delve into these fascinating topics.

1. Exposed! Statin Benefits Exaggerated To Deceive The Public (And Doctors Who Prescribe Them)

If your cholesterol falls within a certain numerical range, your doctor will likely prescribe a statin drug. They are the “go-to” drug for cholesterol management, and not surprisingly, they’re among the most prescribed drugs around the world. But recent research openly reveals a gross exaggeration regarding the drugs’ alleged benefits.

Relevant Segment:

“According to Diamond and Ravnskov, statins produce a dramatic reduction in cholesterol levels, but they have ‘failed to substantially improve cardiovascular outcomes.’ They further state that the many studies touting the efficacy of statins have not only neglected to account for the numerous serious adverse side effects of the drugs, but supporters of statins have used what the authors refer to as ‘statistical deception’ to make inflated claims about their effectiveness. (emphasis added)

Diamond and Ravnskov concluded their paper with the sobering statement that ‘There is a great appeal to the public to take a pill that offers the promise of a longer life and to live heart attack free. The reality, however, is that statins actually produce only small beneficial effects on cardiovascular outcomes, and their adverse effects are far more substantial than is generally known.’”1

The researchers who reported this deception exposed the flaws in the statin studies, noting under-reported adverse effects and greatly inflated claims as to the effectiveness of these drugs in preventing heart attack.

This should sound awfully familiar to Savers. Isn’t this the same approach that Big Pharma and the Medical Establishment use to promote osteoporosis drugs?

In fact, statins are similar to bisphosphonates, the class of drugs most commonly prescribed for osteoporosis. They both work by blocking an enzyme called farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPPS). This enzyme is involved in the mevalonate pathway, and when FPPS is blocked by the statin, it stops the synthesis of cholesterol. (When it’s blocked by a bisphosphonate, it results in osteoclasts with smooth borders that are unable to tear down old bone, a key component in healthy bone remodeling.)

The deception about statins is not an isolated incident. If it’s happening with cholesterol-lowering drugs, then it makes sense to assume it’s rampant…especially given the data like we see in this study.

A 2013 study notes that:

“Fraud and misconduct in clinical research is widespread. Scientific fraud reappears with alarming consistency from paleontology to nanotechnology.”2

Frighteningly enough, the study notes that more than 40% of researchers were

“[…] aware of misconduct but did not report it. …and 17% of surveyed authors of clinical drug trials reported that they personally knew of fabrication in research occurring over the previous 10 years.”2

This is truly shocking, and frankly, disgraceful. The impact this kind of fraud can have on individuals and the research community is enormous. Most notably, it can “lead to wrong or ineffective or harmful molecules being brought in the market.”2

This is yet another reason why government drug approvals can’t be trusted. The 12-year approval process leaves much room for fraud and deception.

It will be interesting to see when a similar write-up about “statistical deception” and “greatly inflated claims” on osteoporosis drugs occurs…

2. Confirmed: Osteoporosis Drugs Raise Mortality Risk

A startling Danish study reveals that osteoporosis drugs actually increase the risk of death. And because the study involved a control group, it can be safely inferred that the early deaths were not due to other factors, but to the drugs themselves.

Relevant Segment:

“Researchers analyzed survival in patients with osteoporosis beginning at the time they were diagnosed and issued their first prescription, either for first-line drugs or drugs reserved for advanced osteoporosis. Patients whose risk for fracture was too low to require treatment were not included in the study.

After 1 year, the mortality rate for men being treated with osteoporosis medications was 16% compared with 3% for controls and 6.6% for women with osteoporosis prescriptions compared with 4.6% for controls. At 5 years, the mortality rates were 48.2% in men treated for osteoporosis and 24.6% in controls and 28.3% in women with osteoporosis and 31.9% in controls. The mortality rate at 10 years was 69.7% in men (45.4% in controls) and 50.2% in women (50.8% in controls).”3

Prescription drugs of all kinds carry significant, even deadly risks. It’s especially tragic with regards to osteoporosis drugs, because osteoporosis can be prevented and even reversed through safe, non-pharmaceutical means.

The toxic nature of osteoporosis drugs can’t be denied. That’s why if you’ve ever taken osteoporosis drugs, it’s so important to cleanse your body and eat healthful foods in order to flush these toxins from your system.

The bottom line is, the pattern you see in Western medicine – where a patient goes to a doctor complaining of symptoms, tests are performed, a diagnosis is made, and a drug is prescribed – is not only ineffective at promoting health and healing; it is simply not safe.

3. Finally! New Device Measures Bone Strength Instead Of Density

The question of bone quality over quantity is finally being addressed in the scientific community. A little hand-held device called an OsteoProbe is pressed into the skin like a center-punch. It uses reference point identification (RPI) in order to measure bone tissue’s material properties. In other words, OsteoProbe goes beyond measuring density by assessing bone quality.

Relevant Excerpt:

“According to Hansma, measuring bone mineral density (BMD) using today's standard, dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) provides only a partial picture. ‘DXA measures density, which sounds like a material property but isn't,’ he said. ‘DXA measures how much calcium bone contains but provides no information about bone quality, and it's not just how much bone you have that’s important, it's how good that bone is.’

‘Now that it is possible to measure whether bone is good or bad in research studies, we can begin learning what diet, exercises, vitamins and pharmaceutical drugs contribute to making bone good,’ he said.”4

 

Fascinating – while the scientist mentioned drugs among those things that might improve bone quality, he also mentioned diet, exercise, and vitamins. This is highly unusual for a mainstream researcher!

Yet this is what the Osteoporosis Reversal Program has been saying all along – bone quality, not quantity, is what ultimately prevents fractures; and both can be enhanced and improved with foods, regular exercise, and Foundation Supplements.

Density is just one aspect of bone health, and while it’s fantastic to increase it (and many have done so on the Program), it’s not the only goal for optimal bone strength and integrity. As Mainstream Science slowly realizes this, they will hopefully continue to develop new technology that assesses bone health more realistically than the standard DXA.

The subject of bone quality vs. quantity is covered in detail in Chapter 3 of the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. Bone tissue is living, dynamic, and ever-changing. In addition, there are individual variations in bone density that are perfectly normal, but are not taken into account when DXA scan numbers are applied. And these variations have nothing to do with fracture rates. For instance, Asian women as a rule have lower bone mass than Western women; but their rate of fractures is lower.

Ultimately, improving bone health is all about avoiding fractures. So it stands to reason that lower bone mass alone may or may not be indicative of how fracture-prone a bone is.

That’s why the Program’s aim is to rejuvenate bone and revive its integrity using safe, drug-free methods. Doesn’t that make a whole lot of sense?

Till next time,

vivian sig

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References:

1 “Safety, life-saving efficacy of statins have been exaggerated, says scientist.” Science Daily. February 20, 2015. Web. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150220110850.htm

2 Gupta, Ashwaria. “Fraud and misconduct in clinical research: A concern.” Perspectives in Clinical Research. April-June 2013. 4(2): 144-147. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3700330/

3 Abrahamsen, B., et al. “Mortality risk higher for men and women with osteoporosis.” Healio. April 23, 2015. Web. https://www.healio.com/endocrinology/bone-mineral-metabolism/news/online/%7Bbe270cb9-61ba-4dfa-a19f-80efe8635ea1%7D/mortality-risk-higher-for-men-and-women-with-osteoporosis

4 “Good bone, bad bone: measuring bone loss, strength.” Science Daily. March 24, 2015. Web. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150324153654.htm