Osteoporosis

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Vitamin D [1, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help in preventing some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Please note, this acts as a PREVENTATIVE treatment, and not necessarily symptomatic relief.

Recommendation: Strongly in favor (Vitamin D may help to prevent osteoporosis in older people )

Grade of Evidence: high quality of evidence

Vitamin A [1, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help in preventing some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Please note, this acts as a PREVENTATIVE treatment, and not necessarily symptomatic relief.

Recommendation: Strongly in favor (Vitamin A may help to prevent the development of weak bones)

Grade of Evidence: high quality of evidence

Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Red Clover helps to treat osteoporosis. Early tests done had unreliable results. More tests are needed.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Calcium Gluconate:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a preventative or supportive management, not as a treatment.

Recommendation: strongly in favor (Calcium supplements are effective in preventing osteoporosis )

Grade of Evidence: strong quality of evidence

Calcium Supplements:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a preventative or supportive management, not as a treatment.

Recommendation: strongly in favor (Calcium supplements are effective in preventing osteoporosis )

Grade of Evidence: strong quality of evidence

Tai Chi:

Recommendation: strongly in favor (Available evidence shows that Tai Chi helps prevent fractures)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Qigong:

Recommendation: no recommendation(There is insufficient evidence to show that Qigona helps to treat Osteoporosis)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Soya Protein Products [25]:

It is proposed only as a preventative or supportive management, not as a treatment

Recommendation: weakly in favour

Grade of evidence: very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/redclover/

3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19609225

4. http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/natural-fertility-boosters.html

5. http://indigo-herbs.co.uk/acatalog/Red_Clover_Flowers_Info.html

6. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/trifolium_pratense.html

7. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/red-clover

8. http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69350.cfm

9. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-vitamina.html

10. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamina.html

11. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamina.asp

12. http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/vad/en/

13. Latham, Michael E. (1997). Human Nutrition in the Developing World (Fao Food and Nutrition Paper). Food & Agriculture Organization of the United. ISBN 92-5-103818-X.

14. Sommer, Alfred (1995). Vitamin a Deficiency and Its Consequences: A Field Guide to Detection and Control. Geneva: World Health Organization. ISBN 92-4-154478-3.

15. http://www.unicef.org/worldfitforchildren/files/A-RES-S27-2E.pdf

16. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/o/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD006164/frame.html

17. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10824056

18. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcb.10338/abstract

19. http://pain-topics.org/pdf/vitamind-report.pdf

20. http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1185/030079908X253519

21. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/article756975.ece

22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17556697

23. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18065602

24. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamind.html

25. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/soy/ataglance.htm#science


 

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