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Osteo-K FAQ: Medications and Diseases that Cause Osteoporosis and Fractures
More FAQ Topics
| General Osteo-K Questions | About osteoporosis |
| Who should take Osteo-K | Osteoporosis diagnosis |
| Osteo-K and the FDA | Osteoporosis risks |
| How to take Osteo-K | Medications and diseases that cause osteoporosis and fractures |
| Osteo-K, calcium and your other supplements | Bone density scans and fracture risk |
| Osteo-K and drug interactions | Osteoporosis treatments |
Q: Does prednisone increase my risk for osteoporosis
and fractures?
Yes. Taking even low dos es of oral prednisone
(cortisone, prednisone, hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, and methylprednisolone),
even less than 2.5 mg per day, are associated with a 20% to 200% increase in
risk of vertebral fractures. And for each 10 mg increase in dosage between
patients, there is a 62% increase in risk for bone fracture.1,2,3
Q: Do acid blocking medications (Prilosec, Nexium,
Zantac) increase my risk for osteoporosis or fractures?
Yes. According to an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), after just two years of taking acid blocking
medications (Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, Protonix, Aciphex, Zantac) can increase
the risk of fracture by 41%, and by nearly 60% after four years.4
Q: Do diabetes medications cause osteoporotic fractures?
Yes. According to a February 2010 article published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinolgy & Metabolism, the drugs Actos and Avandia increase the risk of fractures after just one year of use by 57% in all women and 72% in women sixty-five years or older.5
Insulin also increases fracture risk in people with diabetes, as shown in a 2001 study in the journal Diabetes Care.6
Q: What other medications cause osteoporosis?
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), many medications and medical conditions cause osteoporosis. These include oral cortisone (prednisone, methylprednisone, dexamethasone), epilepsy medications (phenobarbital, phenytoin), lithium, immunosupressants and aluminum-containing antacids (Tums).
Medical conditions include Celiac disease (gluten intolerance), inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's diseaes, Ulcerative colitis), insulin-dependent diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, primary biliary cirrhosis, lactose intolerance, lymphoma, leukemia, anorexia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), scoliosis and stomach surgery for weight loss. Competitive athletes are also at high risk.
