When did fosamax come to market?

Answer 1

1995 Merck put it out. It is said to re-build bone. It does NOT re-build bone. To explain it simply as possible; there are two types of bone cells that live in our bones that regulate the building and dissolving of our bones. Purpose; is when a bone is put under stress (carrying something heavy, jogging etc.) it stimulates the osteoblast to build bone or strengthen that area under stress. So it takes minerals out of our blood stream ( mainly calcium ) and deposits them in our bones, so strenghtening that area of bone. If there is not enough minerals in your blood stream to do this than the ostoeblasts can not do its job of re-building the bone. Or if you never put your bones under stress it doesn't signal these osteoclast to go to work, causing bones to weaken.

Our bones also has cells that dissolve bone. There is a purpose for them too. They help dissolve the old or dying bone cells. Also if our blood levels of calcium get too low they go to work dissolving bone so it can then be picked up by the blood stream and used where needed in the body. Every time you move a muscle and every heart beat (muscle) calcium is needed for the body to preform these functions. Our heart couldn't beat with out enough calcium in our blood. Fosamax and similar drugs KILL these osteoclasts. At first it seems to be working in building bone, because none is removed even the worthless dead cells. Dead bone cells have no strengh, they crumble under pressure. When the dead and dying cell begin to build up you end up with dead debre, being a perfect host to bacterium and other harmful things. Plus you loose strengh. Xrays APPEAR to us as if there is more bone. Well there is, dead bone.