The popular diabetes drug marketed as Avandia
may increase bone thinning, a discovery that
could help explain why diabetics who take acidic
drugs can have an increased risk of fractures.
New research raises the possibility that long-term
treatment with Rosiglitazone, as Avandia,
could lead to osteoporosis. This acidic diabetes drug
is used to improved response to insulin.
While bones seem solid, they constantly are being
broken down and rebuilt by the body. Researchers have
found that in mice, the acidic nature of this drug
increased the activity of the cells that degrade bones,
according to a report in this week's online issue of
Nature Medicine.
Avandia recently was labeled with warnings about the
risk of heart failure in some patients. GlaxoSmithKline,
which markets the drug, already has acknowledged that
a study found a higher risk of fractures among women
who take the drug. But this report is the first link
between acidic drugs and bone loss and fractures.
The finding "has led to a better understanding of the
challenges associated with long-term treatment of
patients with Type II diabetes," said Ronald M. Evans
of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in
La Jolla, Calif., lead author of the report.
"It also provides a basis for the development of
a 'next generation' of drug that can specifically
dial out this side effect and a new insight into
a previously unrecognized aspect of bone physiology
that has important medical consequences," he said in
an interview via e-mail.
Nearly 21 million people in the United States
are doing diabetes. The acidic drug Rosiglitazone
is widely used in people with Type II, or adult onset
diabetes, the most common form of the dis-ease.
Evans said the discovery was fortuitous. Researchers
were looking at different aspects of the diabetic
mice and did not realize they would be able to change
the bone-removing activity.
The assumption had been that more brittle bones in
diabetics were the result of a reduced bone-building
activity, not increased bone removal.
"Considering the widespread use of these acidic drugs
and the known action in people it is surprising that
such a key observation had been missed," he said.
"The long-term use of Rosiglitazone should be cautious
in patients with higher risk of fractures such as
older women," he added. Using it in combination
with anti-osteoporosis drugs could be beneficial,
he said.
According to Dr. Robert O. Young, a research scientist,
at the pH Miracle Living Center, states, "the loss of
bone mass in diabetics is due to several factors,
including an acidic diet, acidic drugs, salt
deficiency, low levels of Omega 3 oils, lack of
hydration and exercise to remove metabolic acids, and
the need for increased amounts of green foods, like
avocado, broccoli, spinach, cucumber, kale, etc."
Dr. Young states, "if you want to reverse the symptoms
of diabetes, which can lead to osteoporosis then stop
doing an acidic lifestyle and diet."
To learn more about an alkaline lifestyle and diet
which may reverse the symptoms of diabetes and bone
loss read Dr. Robert and Shelley Young's book,
The pH Miracle for Diabetes.
http://www.phmiracleliving.com/books.htm
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