Clear Link Between Antidepressants and Bone Loss
No Bones About It
When I came across this news the other day, I can't say I was surprised. But I was concerned. You see, scientists uncovered a new, maybe dangerous, connection between an antidepressant that millions of people take and a pretty serious side effect. If you or someone you know is one of those millions, this information could come in very handy.
In fact, two new studies have shown a clear link between a certain group of antidepressants -- called SSRIs -- and bone loss. The dips in density were big enough to grab a lot of attention. Hip and spine bones lost between 4 and 5 percent of their total mass. It doesn't sound like a lot, but when you consider that you need your hips and spine just to perform regular, everyday movements, you really don't want to lose any if you can help it.
Both of these studies were big. One involved close to 6,000 men, the other included 2,556 older women. And both of them showed that the problem only shows up in people taking those SSRIs. Other kinds of depression drugs had no noticeable effect on bone density.
It's important to remember, though, that bad side effects from drugs sometimes take years to show up...and a lot of people take antidepressants for years. So there's no telling what might end up happening with those other depression drugs down the road.
But there's some good news coming out about bone health, too. Keep reading, and you'll learn about a very enjoyable way to beef up your bones.
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Moderate Drinking May Build Bone
If you drink wine or beer with dinner it may just help you maintain or increase your bone density.
A group of scientists looked at some data from a very big, very long health study called the Framingham Offspring Study. They found out that men who drank a beer or two every day had up to 7 percent higher hip bone density than those who didn't. And women who had a glass or two of wine each day increased their hip bone density by as much as 5 percent.
The doctors think that's because beer contains silicon, and that can promote strong bones...and wine contains a lot of phytochemicals, which can also help your bones. But will beer only help men, and wine only help women? The researchers didn't have enough men wine drinkers or women beer drinkers to put numbers on that, but it's possible that either beverage could benefit either sex.
Keep in mind that these benefits were found in people who already have a drink or two every day, so if you don't already drink, this isn't necessarily a good reason to start. Oh, and this definitely isn't a case where "more is better." In fact, drinking more than one or two beers or glasses of wine per day can harm your health. Just like anything else, moderation is key.
But enough about bones for today. Before I forget, I also wanted to tell you about Joe. He's a long-time patient who came in last week with an ear infection. When I wrote him a prescription for amoxicillin, he asked what he could do to avoid the stomach problems that always seem to show up when he takes antibiotics. Since all of you will probably be taking antibiotics at one time or another, I think my answer to him, which appears below, can help you out, too.
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The Pros of the Antis
Antibiotics kill off a lot of bad bacteria, including the strains that cause ear infections like Joe's. But they don't stop there. They also demolish good bacteria along with the bad because they just can't tell the difference. But you need those good bacteria for proper digestive function. That's why people who take antibiotics for a long time often end up with diarrhea.
There's a pretty simple way to avoid that, though. Just stock up on probiotics. Probiotics, especially a kind called lactobacilli, put the good bacteria back into your digestive system where it belongs. And that good bacteria can wipe out diarrhea completely or even stop it from happening altogether.
If you're going to be on antibiotics for a while, start protecting your stomach now. Take a probiotic supplement two to four times a day on an empty stomach while you're taking your antibiotic. Then keep taking them for a week after you've finished the antibiotics. If you can't stomach swallowing all of those pills, you can get your dose of good bacteria in special probiotic-enriched drinks, like DanActive.
For more information on probiotics, check out my "10 Facts" article on pages 4 and 5 of the February issue of the America's Country Doctor newsletter. If you're not already a subscriber, visit http://www.americascountrydoctor.com for details on how to go about signing up.
Until next time,
Dr. Alan Inglis
House Calls
