Osteoporosis is one of the main diseases affecting people around the world. One in three women over the age of fifty will suffer fractures due to osteoporosis and for men the statistics are one in five. With such figures, the search for treatments and preventative measures are a must. At the recent International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) World Congress, highlights included research into the use of strontium ranelate (a compound formed from ranelic acid), bisphosphonates and hormone therapy in the treatment of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes bone mineral to dissolve away. As a result, bones lose their density and break easily. Treatments aim to increase a patient's bone mass and strength.

Research Teams Show Promising Results

The ranelic acid compound has been found to strengthen and protect bones, thereby preventing fractures. Georges Boivin and his team at INSERM, France, investigated this. They found that the compound does not affect existing bone, but its benefits are seen in any new bone that is formed. It does not alter the bone minerals, but it changes the bone structure which results in an increase of bone density. These findings were corroborated by a...