A New York University College of Dentistry professor has developed a calcium phosphate-based supplement that -- even at low concentrations -- significantly improves bone strength and thickness without the side effects of many current drug treatments. Dr. Racquel Z. LeGeros, a Professor of Biomaterials and Biomimetics and of Implant Dentistry, presented her research on the supplement at the American Association for Dental Research annual meeting on March 9, 2006.

Current FDA-approved pharmaceutical-based osteoporosis treatments, such as bisphosphonate drugs and hormone therapies, do not effectively repair bone that has already been lost. In fact, bisphosphonates have been shown to actually inhibit bone redevelopment. Many of these treatments also have serious side effects, including increasing the risk of heart disease, strokes, and breast cancer.

But the supplement Dr. LeGeros developed by combining magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and fluoride (F) ions in a calcium-phosphate (CaP) matrix does not have the side effects of the current pharmaceutical-based treatments. Perhaps more importantly, a Mg/Zn/F-CaP supplement would be inexpensive to produce and would not require FDA approval. Dr. LeGeros' formulation could be available to market as an over-the-counter supplement, pending patent approval.

In her study, Dr. LeGeros investigated the effect in rats of Mg/Zn/F-CaP ion combinations on several bone properties: strength, thickness, quality, and composition of bones.

Dr. LeGeros divided a sample of 72 (36 males, 36 females) adult Sprague-Dawley rats (average weight, 160g) into six groups receiving the following diets: control; mineral deficiency-induced osteoporosis (MD); MD supplemented with Mg-CaP; Zn-CaP; F-CaP; and Mg/Zn/F-CaP. Each supplement was 0.6% of the MD diet. The post-mortem examination of the femurs in the MD Mg/Zn/F-CaP group showed that even this small amount of Mg/Zn/F-CaP supplement substantially improved bone streng
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Contact: Christopher James
christopher.james@nyu.edu
212-998-6876
New York University
9-Mar-2006

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