FDA Clueless About Osteoporosis Drugs

The FDA announced on 3.10.2010 that there was no “clear connection” between bisphosphonate (e.g., Fosamax, Zometa, Boniva, and Didroneo) use and femur fracture risk.  The agency had no evidence to conclude that osteoporosis drugs increase the risk of femur fractures just below the hip joint.  The FDA stated, “At this point, the data that FDA has reviewed have not shown a clear connection between bisphosphonate use and a risk of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures.” 

I hope you feel better about the FDA’s statements.  I don’t.

The FDA is reacting to an ABC News story citing “mounting evidence” showing that long-term use of Fosamax could cause spontaneous femur fractures in women.    The New England Journal of Medicine has reported case histories of spontaneous fractures of the femur in women taking bisphosphonate drugs.  These case histories claimed the women who fractured their femur either had a minor impact to  the leg or no trauma; the bone just fractured.  Remember, this is the largest and strongest bone in the body.  The femur should not spontaneously fracture—EVER!

The FDA is clueless here.  The most commonly prescribed osteoporosis drugs work by poisoning bone cells.  As I wrote in my book, Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies That Do, “You can’t poison an important enzyme for the long term and expect a good result.”   I say spontaneous femur fractures should be predicted in those that use bisphosphonate drugs.    

Here’s an idea for the health care plan; get rid of the FDA.  They are not looking out for us, the citizens.  They look out for the Big Pharma Cartel.  We could save a lot of money just dismantling the FDA.  That money could insure a lot of Americans. 

No one should take a bisphosphonate drug for any condition.  If you have osteoporosis, there are many safe and effective natural therapies available to you. 

Low Cholesterol=High Mortality

True or false:

1.     Low cholesterol levels are healthy.

2.    You will live longer if you have a low cholesterol level.

3.    If you have congestive heart failure, it is better to take a cholesterol-lowering drug.

The answer to all three statements is easy:  All are false.

How can that be?  Have we been mislead by the media, American Heart Association, AMA, and nearly everyone else out there?  This time, the answer is yes.

A study in the American Heart Journal (Dec.  2008) pointed out the problems with low cholesterol levels in those with congestive heart failure.  This study looked at 17,791 hospitalized patients at 236 sites who were admitted for congestive heart failure.  The researchers divided the patients into four quartiles:

1.    Total cholesterol of <118

2.    Total cholesterol of 119-145

3.    Total cholesterol of 146-179

4.    Total cholesterol of >180

The most important number to look for in any study is the mortality numbers.  Guess who lived the longest in the above four groups?  If you guessed group one, you guessed wrong.

Those in the lowest cholesterol group (quartile 1 above) had the highest death rate (3.3%).  Those in the quartile 2 had a death rate of 2.5%.  The next quartile (3 above) had a death rate of 2.0% and the group with the highest cholesterol levels had the lowest death rate at 1.3%. 

Other data from this study showed that those with lowered cholesterol levels had longer hospital length of stay and worse symptoms on discharge.  Compared to those with the highest cholesterol levels (>180), those with the lowest cholesterol levels (<118) had a 65% higher risk of mortality.

How can this be?  Does it sound like Alice-In-Wonderland to you?    It really isn’t that hard to understand when you understand the physiology of the body. 

It is well known that lowered cholesterol levels have been shown in many studies to be associated with a higher mortality rate.  Cholesterol is a necessary and important substance in the body.  It is necessary for proper mineral absorption and utilization, cell wall strength, immune system functioning and vitamin D production.  There are many other important functions of cholesterol.   

My clinical experience has clearly shown that it is not wise to use a drug that blocks the production of cholesterol.  It does not make physiologic sense and it does not make common sense.  Cholesterol research studies do not prove that taking cholesterol-lowering medications prolong life.  In fact, the best statin drugs have been shown to do is to lower the risk of a non-fatal heart attack by 1% over 2-3 years. This positive effect is seen only in the most favorable trials (i.e., those trials that Big Pharma Cartel decides to release for publication).   However, there are many serious adverse effects of cholesterol-lowering medications including muscle and liver problems and an increased cancer rate. 

What should you do?  Read and educate yourself about any drug or natural item that you are prescribed.  Look at how the item works in the body and look at the possible adverse effects.  Then, make your decision on whether it is in your best interest to take that substance.  If it does not extend your lifespan or improve the quality of your life then perhaps you should avoid the substance.   Cholesterol-lowering drugs have never been shown to improve longevity or quality of life.

For more information on cholesterol and cholesterol –lowering drugs, I refer the reader to my book, Drugs  That Don’t Work and  Natural Therapies That Do, 2^nd Edition where I review the cholesterol controversy in more detail.