Osteoporosis and Bone Health Information | Bone Doc Blog

New evidence shows that you need a vitamin D level much higher than “100%” of federal standards for osteoporosis medications to be fully effective.  That is why I always aim for 40 to 80 ng/ml 25-hydroxy Vitamin D in my patients.

Osteoporosis Medications were 5 times as effective in patients above 33 ng/ml of 25-OH Vit D than in those patients below that level, in research presented by Amanda Carmel, MD of Weill Cornell Med College at last month’s meeting of ASBMR.  This is a big deal!!

You MUST get enough Vitamin D and Calcium in order to have good Bone Health.  Without enough Vitamin D and Calcium, medications do not work well.

The medications tested this time were  the Bisphosphonates: Alendronate (Fosamax), Risendronate (Actonel), Ibandronate (Boniva), and Zolendronate (Reclast/Zometa).  All other meds are expected to have the same issue.

You must Test for Vitamin D Level to know where you stand.  Over half of patients are OK at 33.  I aim for between 40 and 80 to assure that ALL of my patients have enough Vitamin D.

Remember that Vitamin D3 is more effective than D2.

Remember that if you get enough Calcium, Vitamin D, and Multiple Vitamins & Minerals, you may not need to take any osteoporosis medications.

Jay Ginther, MD

October 2011