What types of medications are used to treat osteoporosis?

What types of medications are used to treat osteoporosis?

Frederick Singer (Director of the Endocrine/Bone Disease Program, John Wayne Cancer Institute ) gives expert video advice on: What types of medications are used to treat osteoporosis?; Can osteoporosis be cured by medication?; Are there any treatments for osteoporosis that don't involve medication? and more...

There are two main categories of medicine to treat osteoporosis. The most common category, and for which we have the most drugs, uses the principle of preventing bone breakdown. Now, normally bone is made and broken down everyday at a slow rate in adults. Certain conditions like oestrogen deficiency result in increased breakdown and not enough formation of bone. So, we have many drugs including oestrogen that prevent the breakdown of bone. Now, we have one fairly new drug, which actually stimulates the formation of bone. However, we only have one such drug in this category.