Results when calcium is used in clinical trials of osteoporosis drugs
Below are the results of several clinical trials that compared the response from placebo and a medication to treat osteoporosis when both groups also received calcium with or without vitamin D. Of importance to postmenopausal women who have been told to stop HRT and just take calcium and/or vitamin D is that the women in these placebo groups generally continue to lose bone mineral density (BMD). If these women are at least three years postmenopausal, they have generally lost up to 15% of BMD during that time. So, the additional bone loss is additive to the dramatic loss just after menopause. Thus, it would be wise to discuss the use of Fosamax or Actonel as a preventive for the loss of BMD if you and your physician decide that you won't use HRT. The timing of this is critical since the best results would occur by starting the bisphosphonate immediately after menopause.
PMID: 7625419. Compared placebo to alendronate with both groups getting 500 mg calcium daily. Placebo group lost bone, significant at the hip while the alendronate group gained bone at the spine, hip and total body.
PMID: 8948272. Compared oral alendronate for three years to placebo with both groups getting 500 mg calcium daily. The alendronate group had marked bone increases in all areas and the placebo group lost 0.8 to 1.6% of BMD.
PMID: 12050252. Compared 10 mg alendronate daily to placebo in African-American women with both groups taking 500 mg calcium and 500 I.U. vitamin D daily for two years. Alendronate significantly increased BMD at all measured points while the placebo group lost bone at all measured levels, significant only for the total body.
PMID: 8833208. Compared oral alendronate vs. placebo over three years with all women taking 500 mg/day of calcium supplements. Nonsignificant loss of BMD at all sites for placebo group compared to significant increases in BMD at all measured areas for alendronate.
PMID: 10647267. One-year comparison of alendronate vs. placebo of FOSIT trial with all women taking 500 mg calcium daily. Placebo group had 0.7% loss of BMD and alendronate group had 6% gain of BMD.
PMID: 7477143. Three-year comparison of alendronate vs. placebo in postmenopausal women all taking 500 mg calcium daily. Women on alendronate had significant, progressive increases in BMD at all skeletal sites. Women on placebo had decreases in BMD.
PMID: 11212161. One-year continuation of a previous study with men and women comparing alendronate to placebo with all patients taking calcium and vitamin D. All alendronate groups had significant increases in BMD and all in the placebo group had nonsignificant loss of BMD.
PMID: 7709944. Comparison of 1 gram calcium supplement to no supplement for four years in women at least three years postmenopausal. Both groups lost BMD, however, the rate of bone loss was less in the calcium-supplemented group.