use of a bisphosphonate Fosamax (alendronate sodium) vs vitamin k2 (mk-4)

2022.4.6: health/diet/vit'k2/med/osteo/

use of a bisphosphonate Fosamax (alendronate sodium) vs vitamin k2 (mk-4):

summary:

. some studies show that the bisphosphonate 

Fosamax (alendronate sodium)

is not really helpful,and risks might include 

atrial fibrillation, but the evidence is conflicting.

. meanwhile, a study of vitamin k2 (mk-4)

was so effective it was hard to believe!

risk of atrial fibrillation

from use of a bisphosphonate Fosamax (alendronate sodium)?

Nat Institute Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548566/

Severe side effects of the bisphosphanates are rare, 

but have included atrial fibrillation 

and, with long-term treatment, 

osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical femoral fractures.

[Rheumatology (Oxford) 2014]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23838024/

a supporting ref:

Osteoporos Int. 2015;

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4428862/

Risk of atrial fibrillation among bisphosphonate users: 

a multicenter, population-based, Italian study.

"In our study, current alendronate users were associated with

a higher risk of atrial fibrillation

as compared with those who had 

stopped bisphosphonates for more than 1 year.

In comparison with distant past users of bisphosphonates, 

current users of bisphosphonates showed an almost

twofold increased risk of AF: 

odds ratio (OR) = 1.78 and 95 % CI = 1.46–2.16. 

Specifically, alendronate users were mostly associated with AF

as compared with distant past use of BP

(OR, 1.97; 95 % CI, 1.59–2.43).

. AF has been detected as a potential signal of

oral alendronate treatment in postmenopausal women [10–13]. 

According to Cummings [14], 

[injections] of bisphosphonates 

may increase the release of inflammatory cytokines

which have been associated with AF.

a denying ref:

Osteoporos Int. 2012

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/21369791/

Alendronate and atrial fibrillation: 

a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials.

The incidence of atrial fibrillation was low in Merck

clinical trials of alendronate

and was not significantly increased in any single trial nor in the meta-analysis. 

Based on this analysis, alendronate use

does not appear to be associated with 

an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.

is alendronate worth any risk at all?

. oral alendronate therapy 

had no detectable mechanical benefit:

Instead, its use was associated with 

substantially reduced bone strength,

due to over-suppression of remodelling

and accumulation of microcracks. 

Bone Joint Res. 2017

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5670367/

The effect of long-term bisphosphonate therapy

on trabecular bone strength and microcrack density.

A. Jin, et al.

Sci Rep. 2017

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5338252/

Long-term effects of bisphosphonate therapy: 

perforations, microcracks and mechanical properties

Shaocheng Ma, et al.

putting your bets on vitamin K2 (menoquinone-4):

80% reduction in hip fractures?

Arch Intern Med . 2006 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16801507/

Vitamin K and the Prevention of Fractures

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Sarah Cockayne, et al

text:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/410550

"In this systematic review and meta-analysis, 

we have shown that supplementation with menaquinone, 

particularly menaquinone-4, 

is associated with increased BMD and reduced fracture incidence. 

The reduction in fracture incidence is particularly striking, 

with an approximate 80% reduction in hip fractures. 

Our findings should be treated cautiously, however, 

because the studies were not primarily designed to show a fracture effect. 

Another reason for caution is that the 

effect on fractures is much larger than with other treatments, 

such as bisphosphonates. 

Therefore, it is possible that such a large effect

is due to chance or some other unidentified reason. 

In addition, all the studies with fracture outcomes 

were undertaken in Japan, and there may be dietary differences

that could mean that these findings are not applicable elsewhere."

Dr. Barry Sears 2002`The Omega Rx Zone: [ad]
The Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil