About Allergies: Calcium and Vitamin D Prevent Bone Loss Caused by Inhaled Steroids

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Allergies Allergies Symptoms / Diagnosis Treatment Coping From Daniel More, MD Inhaled corticosteroids are the preferred treatment for the control of asthma symptoms. Unfortunately, inhaled corticosteroids may result in various side effects, including thinning of the bones, including osteoporosis and osteopenia. Thinning of the bones are especially common in older people, particularly post-menopausal women. A recent study sought to determine if newer inhaled corticosteroids, such as Asmanex or Flovent, resulted in thinning of the bones when taken for 1 year by young to middle aged people with asthma. The study found that if calcium and vitamin D supplements were taken in conjunction with the inhaled corticosteroids, there was no signs of bone thinning over the course of the one year study.   Calcium and Vitamin D Prevent Bone Loss From Inhaled Corticosteroids Controller therapies for asthma include medications such as Singulair (montelukast) and inhaled corticosteroids, which treat inflammation and reduce asthma symptoms. While inhaled corticosteroids are the preferred treatment for asthma, certain side effects occur with inhaled corticosteroids, including thinning of the bones in adults. Thinning of the bones can lead toosteoporosis, and therefore adults using inhaled corticosteroids for long periods should take calcium and vitamin D supplements. Older adults, and those taking high doses of inhaled corticosteroids, should undergo regular screening for bone mineral density using DEXA (dual energy x-ray absorption) scans.    Search Related Topics:  asthma  inhaled corticosteroids  osteoporosis Side Effects From Inhaled Corticosteroids  The word “steroid” conjures up all sorts of different images in a person’s head: “Will these medications make me look like a body-builder?” Or, “Will they make me gain a lot of weight or have a large effect on the growth of my child?" The truth about the side effects of inhaled steroids is that none of these things are true. Inhaled steroids do cause side effects, however, and it is important for anyone taking these medications to be aware of them. Search Related Topics:  side effects of nasal steroids  side effects of oral steroids  Medications for Asthma  In general, there are 2 types of asthma medications: rescue and controller medicines. Most asthmatics require both medications. Many people with asthma are under-treated with only a rescue inhaler, which is a common mistake for physicians to make. Find out if your asthma is controlled, or if you might need additional therapy (such as a controller medicine). Search Related Topics:  allergies  allergist  allergy testing Related Searches Allergies Asthma Allergy Allergies Calcium Bone Loss Child Allergies Sign Allergies Allergies Featured Articles   More from About.com Run Your First 5K Even couch potatoes can be ready for a 5K with just a couple months of training. Read more...> Help! I'm Too Busy Time and stress management tips to help you feel as though you have more time. Read more...> This newsletter is written by: Daniel More, MD Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Allergies newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2013 About.com   Must Reads What are Allergies? Symptoms of Allergies Diagnosis of Allergies Treatment of Allergies Preventing Allergies   Follow me on: Advertisement