Do Bone Building Drugs Extend Your Life?

Brittle bones can cause a range of wellness problems, particularly if we have to be less mobile than we were before a diagnosis. Low bone mineral density means we could easily suffer from fractures after just a minor fall, which can make us feel isolated and fearful of the future. Drug treatments offer hope and many have been clinically proven to have positive effects on our wellbeing – with some even found to prolong our life.

Safe to medicate?

Bisphosphonates are a common treatment for ailments like osteoporosis, because they actually build bone mass. This is very important if our bone mineral density (BMD) has decreased to such a level that a simple fall could cause us very serious problems, even proving fatal to some sufferers of the condition. But the medication has been linked with side effects and studies have connected it with other health problems, such as gullet cancer – although this has not been accepted by all experts in the field. Now more research has indicated that taking bisphosphonates could prolong our life by up to five years, which could offset some reservations we may have about taking it.

Living longer

The Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study has been running since 1989 and looked at the health of 2,000 people. Within this large group 120 were compared, with some taking the bisphosphonates and others just relying on calcium and Vitamin D for good bone health. The results show that death rates in the over-75s dropped by ten per cent when people took bisphosphonates. The scientists say they’re not exactly sure why this is the case, but explain that some damaging minerals could be released in our bodies when BMD gets too low and this was prevented from happening in the bisphosphonate group.

Also, those with higher BMD may have experienced fewer fractures and complications than we can get if we break our bones, like hospital-acquired infections. When it comes to medical treatment for conditions, it’s always wise we consult a doctor so we can make a medically-informed decision that suits us.