Can some antidepressants increase osteoporosis risk?
As many women age, their bones become brittle because of loss of bone mass. This does happen in men as well, but women are affected in much larger numbers. As the bones become more brittle, the risk of fracture is much greater. Osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) is - for many - a disease that has its roots to childhood and early adulthood. These are the times when women are building their bone strength through good nutrition and exercise habits.
However, bone mineral density loss occurs due to outside sources as well. Once a woman has entered menopause, the loss of bone density speeds up. As well, there are illnesses and medications that can affect the rate of bone mass loss. Now, researchers are wondering if antidepressants are one of those medications. The most common types of antidepressants, more than 62% of the ones prescribed, are in the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) family. Researchers have found that women who take these SSRIs have a significantly higher rate of bone density loss before they are 65 years old than women who don’t take SSRIs. But - and this is an important ‘but’ - depression can also cause bone density loss. So - the question becomes more, is it the depression or is it the medication?
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Tags: chronic pain blog, pain blog, osteoporosis, osteoporosis risk, bone density loss, bone density, bone mineral density, brittle bone disease, SSRI, serotonin reuptake inhibitor, antidepressants
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POSTED IN: Medications
1 opinion for Can some antidepressants increase osteoporosis risk?
Marijke Durning, RN
Aug 18, 2008 at 9:47 pm
After I wrote this, I wondered if people who take SSRIs should go for a baseline bone density - I have been taking an SSRI for about two years now; I think I’ll ask my dr what he thinks.
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