Drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis in Western bisphosphonates associated with weak bones
Osteoporosis (which means “porous bones”) is a condition in which bone tissue loses its density over a period of time, which leads to weakness and an increased risk of fracture. These risks can be reduced with lifestyle changes, nutritional supplements and exercise programs designed to strengthen bones, improve balance and prevent falling. But if your osteoporosis is developed and you are currently under the supervision of a Western doctor, more than likely you were given a prescription for a bisphosphonate preparation, such as Fosamax® or Boniva®, to artificially increase your bone density. These drugs have been preferred since the mid-1990s. However, as with all seemingly good things, you should follow the latest research that actually tests the efficacy and safety of the drugs you use in the long run.
Recent studies in the New England Journal of Medicine have revealed a significant relationship between long-term use of Fosamax® and abnormal transverse hip fractures, which suggests that long-term therapy with these drugs tends to weaken the integrity of the bones, rather than strengthen it. (1)
In April of this year, Dr. Polina Camacho of Loyola University Medical Center told Reuters that current recommendations from AACE (American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) recommend that patients undergo a three-year break in bisphosphonate therapy after 4 or 5 years of treatment. (2)
Here in the West, there is no pharmaceutical alternative to bisphosphonate therapy other than the usual recommendations for mineral supplements such as calcium citrate, Vit. D-3, magnesium, potassium, boron, vitamin K-2 and strontium. However, traditional Chinese medicine helps people successfully cope with all aspects of aging for several thousand years!
Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) Approach:
Traditional Chinese medical theory approaches the state of the disease, such as osteoporosis, from a multifaceted perspective, taking into account the relative balance between all aspects of your body and the environment. If we use tree metaphor to describe a specific medical condition, the Chinese doctor will sign his research by checking the leaves, stems and branches, as well as the trunk and root system of the tree. He will also assess the local terrestrial environment and the sources of air and water before proceeding to the diagnosis of what has become unbalanced. Even if a set of symptoms describes disharmony in the trunk and branches, such as “osteoporosis,” the doctor will develop a treatment plan that will update the resources for using the tree and rebalance all the systems that are responsible for maintaining the tree.
According to the Chinese ancients, the health and vitality of the bone matrix depend on the quantity and quality of the Jing kidney (literally "essence resource"). Ching is a useful metaphor for describing a “water” source for bone growth and remodeling throughout the entire life cycle of a tree. In simple human terms, along with many other activities, Jing tells osteoblasts to work on creating new bone and supply osteoclasts with energy to destroy old bone.
During her life, a woman can complete her Jing kidney, especially during pregnancy and childbirth, overwork, stress, or excessive sexual activity. As a result, it will lose bone density. Fragile bones, however, are not the only symptom she will suffer. Other signs of Jing loss include premature gray hair, baldness, loose teeth, poor hearing, pain in the lower back and knee. These symptoms can also be found in men, although less often and usually later in life.
In theory, the TCM system of the liver stores blood and controls the strength of tendons and tendons. If a patient’s liver is depleted, he or she may also experience dizziness, dryness, blurred vision, tinnitus, thirst, night sweats, and tendons of joints and joints.
These patients may also complain of muscle aches and weakness, poor digestion and fatigue. In TCM theory, the spleen / pancreatic qi (literally “energy”) is responsible for the transformation and transportation of food resources to all parts of the body, including the bones. The energy of the spleen also recycles blood and contains the health of blood vessels and muscles.
Chinese herbs treat osteoporosis
Given this broader picture of possible signs and symptoms, Chinese medicine aims to re-supply each of the organ systems that are responsible for healthy bone - the liver, spleen, pancreas, and especially the Jing kidney. Chinese herbal formulas have been used with great success for more than two thousand years to achieve this goal. Herbal experts know exactly what roots, plants, fruits and natural substances replenish these resources. When these substances are boiled in water, they release their therapeutic nutrients into the water, turning the resulting broth into a medicine of great value.
Soup broth: an important form of nutritional therapy for osteoporosis
Most Chinese hospitals provide herbal recipes to their patients in thermos bottles of warm broth. Patients using soup-bouillon therapy recover their health more quickly and are able to maintain a higher level of vitality for a longer period of time. Tablets and capsules, although useful, are more slowly absorbed into the body and take longer to achieve their intended effect.
"Chinese soup-broth for creating healthy bone and preventing osteoporosis®"
This broth recipe has been passed from one Chinese doctor to another over the centuries. In many of my patients with osteoporosis, he completely replaced the need for bisphosphonate preparations. You cook it yourself, boil the bones of the neck of pork and carefully selected herbs in a pot for 6-12 hours. Each batch lasts 16 days and can be stored in a refrigerator or freezer until you need it. Herbal ingredients for broth can be obtained through my clinic in convenient, kitchen-ready packages accompanied by very simple cooking methods and can be filled anywhere in the country.
Although the exact formula is patented, the ingredients in the main broth include Chinese wolfberry, longi fruit, red jujube date, codonopsis root, astragalus root, angelus sinensis root, ginseng root, genius root, fresh ginger root and deer-deer rotor. Adjustments can be made to a prescription for patients who also suffer from arthritis or a hip / joint disease.
Over 11 years of clinical experience, each patient, who continued therapy for more than nine months, increased his bone density by 15-30%. All patients also committed themselves to 30 minutes of exercise each day, a diet made from fresh products in the garden and some basic vitamin / mineral supplements. Using this broth recipe has not yet caused any side effects and, apparently, supports healthy bones as long as you include it in your lifestyle.
Sources:
(1) “Atypical fractures of the femoral diaphysis in postmenopausal women who take alendronate”, New England Medicine, March 20, 2008; vol 358: pp. 1304-1306. Joseph M. Lane, MD and Dean G. Lorish, MD
2 Osteoporosis: A Guide for Doctors to Polina M. Camacho, MD and Paul D. Miller, MD Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; April 2007
