Re: Oral bisphosphonates: prevention of osteoporotic fracture or disease mongering?
What connects osteoporosis, atrial fibrillation, adverse effects of
HRT and alcohol? A simple answer is deficiencies of zinc and magnesium
which are universally common and impair hundreds of enzyme systems.
Rather than rush to give hormones (which are listed as Group 1
highest level carcinogens by WHO) or other drugs with unwanted side-
effects, it would be much more useful to make essential nutrient analyses
readily available in the NHS. It would also be wonderful to stop claiming
that either alcohol drinking or hormone use is beneficial. Such claims are
mostly based on flawed interpretations of epidemiological studies.
1 Mutlu M, Argun M, Kilic E, Saraymen R, Yazar S. Magnesium, zinc and
copper status in osteoporotic, osteopenic and normal post-menopausal
women. J Int Med Res. 2007 Sep-Oct;35(5):692-5.
2 McLaren-Howard J. Grant ECG, Davies S. Hormone replacement therapy
and osteoporosis: bone enzymes and nutrient imbalances. JNEM 1998;8:129-
138.
3 Sleeswijk ME, Tulleken JE, Van Noord T, Meertens JH, Ligtenberg JJ,
Zijlstra JG.
Efficacy of magnesium-amiodarone step-up scheme in critically ill patients
with new-onset atrial fibrillation: a prospective observational study.
J Intensive Care Med. 2008 Jan-Feb;23(1):61-6.
4 Marcus GM, Smith LM, Whiteman D, Tseng ZH, Badhwar N, Lee BK, Lee
RJ, Scheinman MM, Olgin JE. Alcohol intake is significantly associated
with atrial flutter in patients under 60 years of age and a shorter right
atrial effective refractory period.
Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2008 Mar;31(3):266-72.
5 Elisaf M, Merkouropoulos M, Tsianos EV, Siamopoulos KC.
Pathogenetic mechanisms of hypomagnesemia in alcoholic patients. J Trace
Elem Med Biol. 1995 Dec;9(4):210-4.
Rapid Response:
Re: Oral bisphosphonates: prevention of osteoporotic fracture or disease mongering?
What connects osteoporosis, atrial fibrillation, adverse effects of
HRT and alcohol? A simple answer is deficiencies of zinc and magnesium
which are universally common and impair hundreds of enzyme systems.
Rather than rush to give hormones (which are listed as Group 1
highest level carcinogens by WHO) or other drugs with unwanted side-
effects, it would be much more useful to make essential nutrient analyses
readily available in the NHS. It would also be wonderful to stop claiming
that either alcohol drinking or hormone use is beneficial. Such claims are
mostly based on flawed interpretations of epidemiological studies.
1 Mutlu M, Argun M, Kilic E, Saraymen R, Yazar S. Magnesium, zinc and
copper status in osteoporotic, osteopenic and normal post-menopausal
women. J Int Med Res. 2007 Sep-Oct;35(5):692-5.
2 McLaren-Howard J. Grant ECG, Davies S. Hormone replacement therapy
and osteoporosis: bone enzymes and nutrient imbalances. JNEM 1998;8:129-
138.
3 Sleeswijk ME, Tulleken JE, Van Noord T, Meertens JH, Ligtenberg JJ,
Zijlstra JG.
Efficacy of magnesium-amiodarone step-up scheme in critically ill patients
with new-onset atrial fibrillation: a prospective observational study.
J Intensive Care Med. 2008 Jan-Feb;23(1):61-6.
4 Marcus GM, Smith LM, Whiteman D, Tseng ZH, Badhwar N, Lee BK, Lee
RJ, Scheinman MM, Olgin JE. Alcohol intake is significantly associated
with atrial flutter in patients under 60 years of age and a shorter right
atrial effective refractory period.
Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2008 Mar;31(3):266-72.
5 Elisaf M, Merkouropoulos M, Tsianos EV, Siamopoulos KC.
Pathogenetic mechanisms of hypomagnesemia in alcoholic patients. J Trace
Elem Med Biol. 1995 Dec;9(4):210-4.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests