The most common drugs prescribed for treating osteoporosis or osteopenia are the bisphosphonate drugs such as Fosamax, which work by poisoning the osteoclasts — cells that get rid of old bone tissue.

Destroying osteoclasts may make the bone density tests appear to improve, but older and injured bones will not be properly repaired. It makes no sense to use a medication that poisons crucial cells responsible for bone remodeling.

These drugs have been on the market for more than 15 years, and studies have consistently failed to show any reduction of fractures with their use.

In fact, their long-term use is now being associated with unusual fractures of the femur — the largest, strongest bone in the body.

In my book Drugs That Don’t Work and Natural Therapies that Do!, I devote an entire chapter to these types of drugs.