Researchers struggling with the limitations of current medications for osteoporosis may soon be out of the woods. Michigan Technological University biomedical engineer Seth Donohue has been trying to figure out why the bones of bears stay strong despite several months of hibernation each year. This amount of inactivity for humans would make our bones as frail as pretzel sticks.
By studying bear bones, Donohue's work could lead to new treatments for osteoporosis, the loss of bone density that comes with age. It's natural for bone to renew itself constantly — a cycle of bone resorption (decay) and formation. When our bones decay, cells called osteoclasts break down the bone and release the minerals inside. An imbalance in this cycle is the core mechanism for osteoporosis.
Most of today's drugs for this disease aim to prevent bone loss. But Donohue argues that it may be more effective to increase bone formation.
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