| Objective To evaluate the effect of lipoic acid (LA) adjuvant therapy on bone mineral density (BMD), bone metabolism markers, and inflammatory factors in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Methods One hundred postmenopausal women with osteopenia (T-score < –2.5) were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to receive oral LA and alendronate plus calcium and vitamin D3 (n=50), or alendronate plus calcium and vitamin D3 (n=50).BMD of the right femoral neck and lumbar vertebrae (L1-4) was detected and compared. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), osteocalcin (BGP), type I collagen cross-linking C-terminal peptide (CTX-1), nuclear factor кB receptor activating factor ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were observed. Results Eighty-eight patients completed the one-year study, including 46 cases in LA group and 42 cases in the control group. Compared to the control group, BMD and serum levels of TNF-α, IGF-1, IL-6, BGP, CTX-1, RANKL, and OPG in LA group had better results (all P<0.05). Conclusion Supplementation of LA increases the efficacy of alendronate in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. |