Osteoporosis…The "Silent Disease"

Pharmaceutical Treatment

Treatment cannot eliminate Osteoporosis, but it can slow down the loss of bone.

The single most effective treatment for Osteoporosis is estrogen (hormone replacement therapy). Women begin to produce less estrogen before menopause. Without this hormone to help bones stay strong, women are more likely to have Osteoporosis. Taking estrogen pills around the time of menopause is the best way to slow calcium loss from the bones and keep your bones strong. Many physicians are now prescribing estrogen replacement for women in the near menopause period because the greatest loss of bone density occurs in the first years of menopause. You and your health care provider need to discuss your specific situation.

Treatment also includes increasing the calcium your body gets, usually through diet and supplements. Calcium is helpful in the treatment of Osteoporosis, especially if you are not taking estrogen, but it is not nearly as helpful as estrogen alone. Generally, doctors recommend 1,000 milligrams of calcium for women taking estrogen and 1,500 milligrams for women who are not.

Vitamin D is another supplement used to fight Osteoporosis. Vitamin D increases calcium absorption in the small intestine. It also decreases calcium loss in the urine. These two things will make calcium supplements more effective. Vitamin D decreases calcium leaching out of the bone into the blood stream. It also stimulates cells that breakdown and build new bone. Some of the side effects of vitamin D are bone pain, anorexia, elevated calcium and vomiting.

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