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Osteoporosis

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2006 Jun. ~ 2006 Dec.: Health Center (ARCHIVES): Osteoporosis users admin

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Jan
Moderator

08-01-2000

Saturday, October 07, 2006 - 7:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jan a private message Print Post    
Cola Causes Bone Loss
Study: Scientists Link Cola Consumption to Osteoporosis Risk in Women over 60

Oct. 6, 2006— Too many cans of cola might mean bad news for your bones.

Some women drink diet cola to help keep the weight off, but a new study suggests that drinking diet, regular and decaffeinated cola can actually lower bone density and put women at increased risk for osteoporosis.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, roughly 55 percent of Americans, mostly women, are at risk of developing the brittle-bone disease, which leaves bones dry, weak, and more likely to fracture.

Cola drinks — such as Pepsi-Cola or Coca-Cola — seem to increase that risk, according to research published in today's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The link between cola consumption and women's bone loss was unaffected by age, menopausal status, cigarettes, alcohol, or total calcium and vitamin D intake.

Cola consumption did not affect men in the same way. Also, other carbonated drinks were not associated with bone loss.


<snipped>

ABC News

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Friday, October 13, 2006 - 10:16 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Herckleperckle a private message Print Post    
Source: Ivanhoe.com
Reported June 24, 1999


Osteoporosis or Multiple Myeloma?



Television News Service/Medical Breakthroughs
©Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc. 1997
by Jim Brown, Ph.D., and Arlene Pendas Brown



Martien Atkins was a 67-year-old grandmother who began to have pain in the bones, compression fractures in the spine and ribs and a loss of height and weight. The symptoms pointed to osteoporosis, a condition that will affect one-third of American women over the age of 65. Atkins was mistakenly treated for osteoporosis for almost a year until receiving a new diagnosis of multiple myeloma - cancer of the bone marrow. She died within six months of the disease that is discovered in 13,500 individuals each year. It is more common among men than in women and among blacks than whites.


Symptoms
The symptoms of multiple myeloma are frighteningly similar to those of osteoporosis: severe pain in the affected bones, lower back pain, weight loss and compression fractures. Even spinal X-rays are similar to those of osteoporosis, but differences show up in blood tests. "Every orthopedic surgeon fears missing the diagnosis of multiple myeloma," says Letha Griffin, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon in Atlanta. "It is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms may not be diagnostic until advanced stages of the disease."

In multiple myeloma, bone marrow plasma cells multiply wildly. They produce enzymes that can dissolve bone. When more than 30 percent of a bone has been eaten away, the damage will appear as a dark spot on an X-ray. These "holes" weaken the bone and cause fractures, which may be the first noticeable symptoms. While the bone is being destroyed, other chemical changes take place. Calcium released by dissolved bone appears in the bloodstream and can cause nausea, weakness, weight loss and kidney damage. At the same time, the plasma cells secrete protein-based antibodies that are a key part of the immune system. An overproduction of protein can cause a stroke-producing thickening of the blood. The whole process damages blood cells, leading to fatigue and anemia. The immune system is weakened, making the victim susceptible to infection.


Treatment
There is no known cure for multiple myeloma. It is a fatal disease. Although some people live for decades after diagnosis, the average life expectancy is three years. The objectives of treatment can take any combination of four directions: 1) stabilizing the condition by countering the changes in body chemistry; 2) relieving the discomfort; 3) slowing or arresting the disease; and 4) attempting to achieve permanent remission, a process that has never been achieved. The type of treatment depends on the stage of the disease and the individual being treated. The specific methods of treatment include chemotherapy (Melphalan and Prednisone), antibiotics, radiation and supervised exercise. Hormones to treat anemia and drinking large amounts of water to counter kidney failure are also recommended.

"The outlook for patients with multiple myeloma continues to improve," according to a Myeloma Today article by Morie Gertz, M.D., and Martha Lacy, M.D. "Of all the interventions, none appears to have the impact of stem cell and bone marrow transplant." The "seeds" that grow into bone marrow are collected, stored, partially cleansed of myeloma cells and returned to the patient, who is then able to withstand additional chemotherapy. The bad news is that the average cost of a transplant is $75,000 and it is considered experimental by Medicare and many insurers.

Multiple myeloma continues to be a disease that is hard to diagnose and even harder to treat. It is common, even essential, to get second and third diagnostic opinions. Research studies promise hope for treatment leading to permanent remission.

For further information, call the International Myeloma Foundation at 1-800-452-CURE.

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Friday, October 13, 2006 - 10:19 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Herckleperckle a private message Print Post    
And, Jan, to reinforce your initial post:

Source: Ivanhoe.com
Reported October 13, 2006


Cola, Cancer Treatment Weaken Bones


(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Women undergoing treatment for breast cancer may have a particularly good reason to lay off the cola.

Research suggests chemotherapy and estrogen-blocking treatments for the disease lead to thinning bones typical in osteoporosis. And a new study shows drinking cola has the same effect.

Catherine Van Poznak, M.D., a breast oncologist at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center in Ann Arbor who is investigating ways to maintain bone health during cancer treatment, explains chemotherapy may weaken the bones by altering bone mass. Estrogen-blocking treatments, which are necessary to treat breast cancer fueled by estrogen, naturally affect bone health because the bones depend on estrogen to remain strong.

The key for women undergoing these treatments, she reports, is to pay good attention to diet and exercise, which are known to help maintain healthy bones. And now that fellow investigators from Tufts University in Boston have found drinking cola ups bone loss, cutting out the cola could be a good place to start.

The Tufts investigators based their study on bone density measurements in 2,500 people, noting the more cola women drank, the lower their bone mineral densities were during the tests. The authors note colas contain phosphoric acid, which has been linked to bone loss.

SOURCE: University of Michigan Health Minute, published online Oct. 3, 2006; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, published online Oct. 6, 2006

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Friday, October 13, 2006 - 11:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sunshyne4u a private message Print Post    
sigh, it is basically any acidy food or drink that hyper acidifies the body which will contribute to Bone loss/ calcium leaching out of the bone. not just cola.

"It is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms may not be diagnostic until advanced stages of the disease."


That isnt true of multiple myeloma. This was simply either a lab error OR the doctor never ordered a basic screen. the Plasma cells often arent seen in high numbers in the blood until the disease is advanced (WBC TEST) but a Total Protein/ Albumin and ration would ahve shown the abnormality in blood proteins. IF the condition was bad enough that it was affecting the bones there is no way lab tests would have missed Multiple Myeloma.

I think that that article is a good example of why patients have to force doctors to do testing. IF the doctor doesnt order routine screening tests they can claim that you didnt tell them your 'real' symptoms.

Doctors notoriously keep quite sketchy notes due to the fact that they dont want lawsuits. However, doing bloodwork testing is something that offically can be tracked down.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Friday, October 13, 2006 - 11:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sunshyne4u a private message Print Post    



Upon the presence of High Protein in the blood the cells stack up like Coins. You can see that it is obvious and wouldnt be missed unless someone was an complete incompetent idiot.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Friday, October 13, 2006 - 11:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sunshyne4u a private message Print Post    
.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Friday, October 13, 2006 - 11:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sunshyne4u a private message Print Post    
normal blood pic