Are you in the habit of carrying around photos of your bone x-rays in your wallet or posting them on Facebook? Then bisphosphonates aren't worth the risk because they damage bone tissues, increase the risk of fractures, and only improve the APPEARANCE of bone tissues in x-rays and bone scans.Are Bisphosphonates Worth the Risk?
Recently, I read about a woman whose young son was given steroid medications as a treatment for asthma. Later, when he was still just an adolescent, he developed weak bones and doctors prescribed bisphosphonates, promising that this would “fix” the problem (or at least the appearance of it). His mother reported in the document that both of her son’s legs had broken within weeks of each other. The bone break happened in an odd location, which alerted the doctor attending the young man to the possibility that the breaks happened not in spite of, but rather as a result of bisphosphonate treatment.This story brought to mind the analogous situation that occurs when someone with myasthenia gravis is given pyridostigmine bromide or some other bromine-containing drug. Bromine itself can cause symptoms of myasthenia gravis, creating a spiral of ever increasingly negative myasthenia gravis symptoms. Interestingly, both bromine/bromide exposure and organophosphate exposure (both of which are used as insecticides in agriculture) can cause myasthenia gravis symptoms (which are labeled as Intermediate Syndrome when the cause is known to be organophosphate exposure) as well as Gulf War Syndrome symptoms. But needless to say, if you’re wondering, “are bisphosphonates worth the risk?”, consider the fact that bisphosphonates are harmful to bone health, harmful to nervous system health, and harmful general health, and they increase the risk of bone fracture years down the road. If your main concern is with appearance and you intend to post your bone x-rays on Facebook or Instagram, then yes, by all means, take the bisphosphonates. They’ll make your bones look super-healthy in x-rays and bone scans.
Read more about toxins that cause myasthenia gravis and nutrient cures for myasthenia gravis here.
Read more about the cure for osteoporosis here.
Are Bisphosphonates Worth the Risk?
It's a good question, right? And most people are not given the information they need to think critically about bisphosphonate safety. So let's talk about bisphosphonates in depth and establish whether or not they have health-giving benefits that outweigh their health-subtracting effects on the body.According to the CDC, all organophosphates, including bisphosphonates, are toxic in a similar way inside the body. Organophosphates are toxic to the bones, to the blood, and to the nervous system. Essentially, organophosphates (and bisphosphonates) negatively impact the entire human organism, but the CDC only acknowledges that organophosphate poisoning can cause a cholinergic crisis and nervous system problems that are identical to the disease known as myasthenia gravis. In the context of acute organophosphate exposure this cluster of symptoms has been conveniently renamed as “Intermediate Syndrome”. Indeed, organophosphate poisoning and bromide toxicity (bromine and bromide exposure as a myasthenia gravis cause is a problem that we address here), produce similar health results via the thyroid gland and parathyroid glands, two endocrine structures that benefit and support each other in a variety of ways. Read more about phosphates, the thyroid gland, and the parathyroid glands and their general role in human health here.
Conveniently, the CDC does not mention the negative health effects of organophosphate exposure on blood or bone tissues, probably because Big Pharma has, in its infinite wisdom, developed organophosphate drugs, as if environmental exposure to organophosphates is not enough to poison the population of the developed world. These organophosphate drugs are known as bisphosphonates and they are prescribed by doctors to treat osteoporosis, or at least to make bones look more appealing on x-ray. Indeed, bisphosphonates don’t actually benefit bone health and they tend to predispose patients to bone fractures of a particular type, or in some cases patients experience death of their jaw bone tissues (osteonecrosis), which is even more serious than a broken thigh bone.
Organophosphates accumulate in the body. And they accumulate in the environment. They are nearly ubiquitous these days because they are in food, medicines, flame retardants, on fruits and vegetables, in meats, and they are even in the air because they’re sprayed onto crops from “crop-dusting” airplanes.
But though organophosphates can accumulate if they aren’t properly dealt with in the environment and in the body, there are natural ways to remove organophosphates and we talk more about that in another article.
In this article, we’re going to explain the connection between bisphosphonate drugs and organophosphates. The main point that patients need to understand is that bisphosphonates are organophosphates. Bisphosphonates are considered to be a member of a category of “organophosphorus compounds”. These compounds contain phosphates along with one or more carbon atoms which indeed means that they are organophosphates.
According to the CDC, organophosphates of any kind are toxic in a similar way inside the body and that includes bisphosphonates. Organophosphates are toxic to the bones, to the blood, and to the nervous system. Essentially, organophosphates (and bisphosphonates) negatively impact the entire human organism, but the CDC only acknowledges that organophosphate poisoning can cause Myasthenia Gravis, which has been conveniently renamed as “Intermediate Syndrome” in the scientific literature to make sure that Myasthenia Gravis patients never discover the true, underlying cause of their disease. Indeed, organophosphate poisoning and bromide toxicity (bromine and bromide exposure as a Myasthenia Gravis cause is a problem that we address in this article), produce similar health results via the thyroid gland and parathyroid glands, two endocrine structures that benefit and support each other in a variety of ways. Read more about phosphates, the thyroid gland, and the parathyroid glands and their general role in human health here.
Interestingly, when populations of people speak out against bromide exposure through insecticides or in flame retardants sprayed on fabrics (such as on children’s pajamas), Big Ag has responded by replacing toxic insecticides like methylbromide with other toxic insecticides that contain organophosphates. Luckily, there are ways to detoxify from organophosphate exposure as well as to detoxify from bromine/ bromide exposure.
Bisphosphonate Drug Names
There are a number of bisphosphonate drugs that are prescribed to patients with osteoporosis. These include:- Reclast / Zolendronic Acid / Zolendronate
- Boniva / Ibandronate
- Fosamax or Fosamax Plus D / Alendronate
- Zometa / Zolendronic Acid
- Actonel / Risedronate
- Aclasta / Zolendronic Acid
- Atelvia / Risendronate
- Actonel with Calcium / Calcium carbonate / risendronate
- Skelid / Tiludronate
- Dridonel / Etidronate
- Binosto / Alendronate
- Aredia / Pamidronate
- Neridronate
What are phosphates?
Exposure to high levels of phosphates or to toxic phosphates is associated with a higher risk of death in humans. Phosphates exist in nature and are regularly consumed in foods, but they are also present in unnaturally high levels as food additives in packaged foods. As we discussed in a previous chapter, these phosphate food additives can cause calcium and phosphate imbalances in the body, as well as other nutritional deficits and imbalances. Indeed, there are added phosphates in nutritional supplements as well, so patients need to be cautious about taking these specific supplements because phosphate is one of the most important molecules at work in the body. Unhealthy phosphates (such as organophosphates and bisphosphonates) and consumption of unnaturally high levels of phosphate food additives in the diet can make people more susceptible to organophosphate poisoning or rather, to experiencing symptoms of organophosphate poisoning. It also increases the risk of phosphorus toxicity, which can cause a chain reaction of nutritional imbalances that can ultimately lead to a disease state.Phosphorus as a nutrient in the form of inorganic phosphates are essential for human health. In terms of oral health, for example, phosphorus (in the form of inorganic phosphate) links up with calcium to make the strong enamel that keeps teeth healthy. Nonetheless, for many decades the dental industry has claimed that fluoride is good for teeth when in fact, fluoride is a chemical that gets between calcium and phosphate in teeth and bones like a conniving mistress. Fluoride disrupts the tight magnetic bond between calcium and phosphorus in the teeth and bones causing the teeth and bones to become weak and prone to decay. Read more about how to remineralize teeth here. Or read more here about how to remineralize bones here to naturally cure osteoporosis or prevent the disease.
Exposure to fluorine disrupts the natural calcium-phosphorus bond that’s necessary for strong bones and teeth. In order to absorb calcium from food, your body needs a combination of both vitamin D and vitamin K2 or else the calcium will end up in blood vessels and other soft tissues. If you only take an active form of vitamin D (such as vitamin D2 or D3), your body will put the calcium from food into soft tissues like organs and blood vessels. Vitamin K2 comes from grass fed animals and this vitamin ensures that calcium is placed in the bones and teeth.
So fluoride causes calcium-phosphate relationship issues in the body. And taking vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 without also taking vitamin K2 can lead to calcification and hardening of blood vessels (atherosclerosis / arteriosclerosis) and a wide range of other diseases that develop because organs become calcified and hardened. But now, let’s go back to the idea of phosphates and why unnatural phosphates like organophosphates or bisphosphonates are harmful.
Normally, when we think of the word “organic” we think of something that’s good for us. But in chemistry, the word “organic” simply means that a molecule contains carbon, a chemical element. The entirety of organic chemistry as a university class deals with carbon-contain molecules and the behavior of carbon (which is, by the way, pretty interesting). But the word “organic” in the produce aisle at the supermarket means something different. In that context, “organic” means that a fruit or vegetable was grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. It does not mean, however, that your organic fruits and veggies were not sprayed with pesticides like organophosphates or even methylbromide en route to your grocery store though. So, even your organic produce might be covered with fresh organophosphate residues or a fine mist of methylbromide, unfortunately. And, as it turns out, it’s the organic form of phosphorus that’s really harmful to human health (as well as to the environment). Organophosphates can build up in the body which is, according to our research so far, the key characteristic that makes them so toxic. Phosphates are meant to exist in the body in a state of balance with calcium. This dynamic calcium-phosphate balance is something that’s maintained through a complicated system of checks and balances which, like democracy, can easily topple if things go too far right or too far left.
According to our research to date, we’ve found that some of the phosphate food additives are not inherently bad, but they are present in quantities that are too high in certain foods. High phosphate load appears to be the big problem when it comes to organophosphates. Organophosphates build up in the body which makes the phosphate balance tighter. While a normal person in a healthy environment might maintain balance like a gymnast on a balance beam with several mats in place to catch her fall, organophosphates make this balancing act into something more like walking a high wire between two skyscrapers in New York. Organophosphates lower our threshold of phosphate tolerance and with high enough levels of exposure to organophosphates, healthy phosphates are squeezed out and the body can no longer even tolerate them.
Phosphate Exposure
Unnatural levels of phosphate exposure is common in the developed world because phosphates are used as food additives in highly processed foods in addition to their presence in the environment and as pesticides even on so-called organic fruits and vegetables. Below are just a few of the food sources of phosphates that can lead to hyperphosphatemia and other phosphate-related health problems:- Fast food
- Ready-to-eat processed foods
- Soft drinks
- Dairy products
- Fruits and vegetables that have been sprayed with organophosphates
- Meat products from animals that have been treated for lice or other insect infestations with organophosphate veterinary medications.
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What are organophosphates?
Organophosphates were developed in the mid-1800s as an insecticide, but they weren’t widely used until after the second world war. After World War II, organophosphates began to be put to use in the following contexts:- As insecticides
- As medications
- As nerve agents to be used in chemical warfare
Organophosphates act on an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine. This enzyme is known as acetylcholinesterase. Its action on acetylcholinesterase causes insects to die, but acetylcholinesterase is an important enzyme in human health as well.
Symptoms of organophosphate exposure include:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Confusion
- Small pupils
The onset of symptoms from acute exposure to organophosphates begin within minutes and can last for weeks, months, or even years depending on what type of treatment the patient uses to overcome the toxicity.
What are bisphosphonates?
So let’s return to the problem of organophosphates as medication. We’ve discussed the problem of high phosphate load and how a source of phosphates like organophosphates that are able to build up in the body would make it harder for patients to maintain the tight phosphate balance that’s required for general health. And so, it should be easier now, for readers to understand why bisphosphonate drugs are not safe. Bisphosphonate drugs, by their nature, are meant to build up in the body, after all. Generally, doctors prescribe them for a periods of time such as 1-5 years for osteoporosis and then patients don’t have to take them anymore because they build up in the body. This mechanism of action is certainly a selling point for doctors to patients. It’s like a cure (which is so rare and coveted in conventional medicine)! The patient takes the drug and the voila…their bones then look dense and healthy on x-ray. But appearances can be deceiving. And as we know from many other examples at this web site, Big Pharma is not in the business of producing or propagating cures for disease.Bisphosphonates are a type of prescription medication that have been in use since the 1990’s. They are a type of “organophosphorus compound” that contain phosphorus and carbon as well as other elements.
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Are bisphosphonate drugs safe?
The main takeaway here that I want to impress on readers is the fact that bisphosphonates are not and cannot, by their nature, be safe for any patient at any time. To better understand how and why a phosphate-containing drug that builds up in the body would be seriously detrimental to human health and how to cure osteoporosis naturally read more about the delicate balance between phosphate and calcium here.
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UPDATE on Bisphosphonate Drugs: The Dangers of Zolendrate for CRPS and More...
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a debilitating disease for which doctors claim there is no cure. Recently, we worked with a client who followed the Iodine Protocol with success in treating CRPS naturally. This protocol includes vitamin K2 / MK-7 therapy which is one of the major detoxifying nutrients that help rid the body of organophosphates. If you're concerned about the safety of Zolendronate or other bisphosphonates, you should be. Bisphosphonates bio-accumulate to wreak havoc on health over the course of time. Please read our book Root Cause for more information about organophosphate exposure and how to detoxify if you've been exposed to organophosphates. CRPS is likely a disease that results either from exposure to organophosphates or from consuming staple foods that no longer contain quinone-nutrients like vitamin K2 / MK-7, methylfolate, and coenzyme Q10 (to name just a few). Click here to read more about the Iodine Basic Protocol. Click here to read more about the removal of specific nutrients like vitamin K2 and iodine from the food supply, a major cause of CRPS. Click here to read more about the dangers of bisphosphonates.Resources:
• Wikipedia (2022). Organophosphorus Compounds. Retrieved October 2, 2022 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organophosphorus_compound
• Robb, E. L. & Baker, M. B. (2022). Organophosphate Toxicity. Retrieved October 2, 2022 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470430/#:~:text=Organophosphate%20pesticide%20exposure%20may%20occur,%2C%20ingestion%2C%20or%20dermal%20contact.
• CDC Cancer Clusters (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions about Organophosphates. Retrieved October 2, 2022 from https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/clusters/fallon/organophosfaq.htm
• Wikipedia (2022). Phosphate. Retrieved October 2, 2022 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphate#Adverse_health_effects
• Marks, K. H. et al. (1996). Calcium, phosphate, vitamin D, and the parathyroid. Retrieved October 19, 2022 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8792407/
• Nakashima, A. et al. (2004). Effects of vitamin K2 in hemodialysis patients with low serum parathyroid hormone levels. Retrieved October 19, 2022 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15003806/
• Sasaki, N. et al. (2005). Vitamin K2 inhibits glucocorticoid-induced bone loss partly by preventing the reduction of osteoprotegerin (OPG). Retrieved October 19, 2022 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15616893/
• Pellicena, I. C. (n.d.). The role of photoreceptors in human skin physiology; potential targets for light-based wound healing treatments. Identification of opsins and cryptochromes and the effect of photobiomodulation on human skin and in cultured primary epidermal keratinocytes. Retrieved October 19, 2022 from https://1library.net/article/photoreceptors-are-expressed-in-human-skin.qo15p7mz
