Do bisphosphonate medicines help people with osteoporosis to get better or just keep them from getting worse?
Bisphosphonate medicines help to slow the breakdown of bone. When you start taking these medicines, you stop breaking down bone as quickly as you did before, but you still make new bone at a normal rate. For some people, these medicines lead to an increase in bone density. For others, these medicines help individuals maintain bone density and prevent further bone loss. Each person responds differently, but, by preventing further decreases in bone density, these medicines reduce the likelihood of broken bones.
