Therapy Shows Benefits for Men with Osteoporosis

An investigational study has found that Fosamax (Merck, alendronate sodium), a drug shown to benefit women with osteoporosis, also aids men with the disorder, increasing bone mineral density at the spine and hip, reducing spinal fractures, and decreasing height loss. The study was published in the August 31 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

In the two-year international study, 241 men with osteoporsosis received either Fosamax or placebo. Both groups also received calcium and vitamin D supplements.
Results of the study showed that men treated with Fosamax experienced increases in bone mineral density at the spine and hip (2.5-7.1%) compared to those on placebo (0.1-1.8%).

Because of the myth that osteoporosis only affects women, many men who are at risk for the disease are not diagnosed until they experience a significant loss of height or back pain due to compression fractures in the spine, or they break a hip, said Dr. Eric Orwoll, lead study author and professor of medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University.