Researchers Discover Possible New Treatment for Osteoporosis
Researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York have been testing thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which is produced by the anterior pituitary gland, as a possible treatment for osteoporosis. Their study, published this week in the National Academy of Sciences Journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences, shows that the hormone could be the basis for treatments that will promote bone growth.
These same researchers previously published findings, showing that TSH prevents the formation of osteoclasts, a type of cell that removes bone tissue from the body. In this new study, they discovered that TSH also activates osteoblasts, which are cells that are responsible for bone formation.
Study Provides Hope for Broadening Treatment Options
Dr. Terry F. Davies, the Florence and Theodore Baumritter Professor of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical School is optimistic: “There are relatively few treatments right now for osteoporosis, and virtually all of them focus on limiting osteoclasts – that is, fighting the loss of existing bone. However, our study shows that future progress in osteoporosis therapies may hinge on medications that can mimic the effects of TSH and promote the growth of new bone. The key will be to develop TSH analogs that would activate osteoblasts and yet not effect the thyroid gland the way TSH itself does.”
Dr. Mone Zaidi, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Mount Sinai Bone Program, adds, “Osteoporosis is really an imbalance in the functions that create and destroy bone in the body. Our findings indicate that there may be a novel new method for addressing the lack of bone production. Our discovery that TSH causes bone growth also represents a new way of thinking about the role of certain glands and how they operate.”
Bisphosphonates One of Few Options
About 60 million people in the United States are currently suffering from symptoms of osteoporosis. Right now, bisphosphonate drugs like Fosamax are among the few options they have for preventing bone loss, much to the detriment of those who take them. Recent revelations about these drugs have shown that rather than strengthening bones, they cause them to become brittle, increasing the likelihood of patients experiencing low-impact femur fractures with prolonged use.
Protect Your Rights as a Consumer
If you have been taking Fosamax for an extended period of time, and have experienced a femur fracture, it could be because of the medication. If you feel you have a potential femur fracture lawsuit against Merck, the manufacturer of Fosamax, the lawyers at the Rottenstein Law Group can help. Our Fosamax lawyers have over 25 years of experience advocating for clients in consumer product injury and mass tort cases.
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