Therapy Shows Benefits for Men with Osteoporosis

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.