QUESTION:
Is Fosamax safe to use?
ANSWER:
To date, no long-term studies have been done on how Fosamax and Fosamax-like drugs
affect bone health and overall health. Fosamax works by inhibiting the bone turnover
process — by inhibiting bone loss, but at the same time inhibiting new bone growth.
So women on this drug may have denser bone initially, but end up with more brittle
bone over time. Unappealing side effects commonly associated with Fosamax include
inflammation of the esophagus and stomach lining (if you lie down too soon after
taking the pill), indigestion, stomach pain, bone and joint pain and decreased mobility,
as well as less common, but more serious problems such as osteonecrosis of the jaw
and torsion fractures of the femur. Nevertheless, bone drugs can be useful as a
measure of last resort. Except in more dire cases, however, we recommend women protect
their bones and avoid the potential risks and side effects of bone drugs by adopting
a natural bone health program of exercise, stress reduction, and sound nutrition.
More questions on bone health