After a recent xray, I noticed my bone density has dropped significantly since beginning reta in March of this year. Because I'm a young guy, the doctors brushed it off, but I started thinking about whether abaloparatide might restore some of that lost bone density. It seemed like an interesting idea, though I'm not sure if it's even obtainable. Anyone have thoughts?
Using Abaloparatide to Address Bone Loss Triggered by GLP1
- Thread starter timfa
- Start date
frankpeptid
Explorer
I'm following this thread .. I'm in the same boat, though I'm 53. My bone density hasn't reached "osteoporosis" levels, so my PCP won't take any proactive steps to treat it.
frankpeptid
Explorer
Uther carries it. From what I've read though, you have to pair it with IV zoledronic acid, otherwise it basically does nothing? Not certain though.timfa said:
I've basically decided on abaloparatide, but the problem is that finding a source is really tough
lessthanhalf
Explorer
Was bone density actually assessed, or was it just an xray? Bone density cannot be evaluated through xrays, so they are not a legitimate basis for any treatment decision. And even supposing a proper bone density test did confirm osteoporosis, particularly in a young male, my advice would still be to avoid abaloparatide. I do not have its adverse effects memorized offhand, but certain osteoporosis medications carry rarer yet extremely serious risks such as bone necrosis, so the safety profile would need to be nearly flawless to make any benefit worthwhile for a person at such low risk.
Beyond that, prior to even entertaining its use, you must investigate the adverse effects thoroughly and grasp the risk/benefit calculation that comes with it. Asking chatgpt in research/scholar mode should be the bare minimum. My expectation is that a physician would steer clear of it, since the advantages do not outweigh the dangers. Should you truly have osteoporosis for some reason, maybe from a chronic illness, then an endocrinologist is who you need to see rather than treating yourself, because this becomes a decades-long management problem.
moodymama76
Explorer
Lifting weights, skipping rope, plus protein. A lot of folks assume protein only builds muscle, yet it supports everything—bones included. Absolutely, all 3 are necessary.
Just A Cat
Explorer
How much vitamin D do you have in your system?
How much calcium do you take in?
Are you aware that vitamin K monitoring becomes necessary once you address those first two?
TLDR: For bone health and cardiovascular protection, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin K operate as a coordinated unit.
How much calcium do you take in?
Are you aware that vitamin K monitoring becomes necessary once you address those first two?
TLDR: For bone health and cardiovascular protection, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin K operate as a coordinated unit.
Just A Cat
Explorer
A number of people in this community keep an eye on their calcium levels. Among those of us who back dairy, plenty are picking up on small shifts in how the body looks. Maybe you can pick them out? Below is the newest photo of our group.
lessthanhalf
Explorer
Assuming that was a DEXA scan, osteoporosis is something it can pick up at minimum. I don't know how old you are, though you described yourself as young. The main thing to ask is: what causes osteoporosis in a young man? That isn't the usual high-risk demographic. Getting an answer to that could matter a great deal. To me, treating osteoporosis on your own looks like a recipe for disaster, and even more so when nobody has explained the reason behind it. I'd urge you strongly to get an endocrinologist involved.
woundcarping
Explorer
Before jumping to a solution, I'd want to understand the cause first.
Between 1/30 and 7/20, I used 368mg of Reta and lost 54lb (20.7% over 24.4 weeks), yet my bone mineral density remained unchanged. In my case, at least, Reta doesn't appear to "shred bone" the way the media claims.
Just A Cat
Explorer
I'm hoping the OP manages to resolve this. Could Reta be the culprit?
My guess is that most of what gets called "typical reta" bone loss stems from people not paying enough attention to their nutritional health. A smaller subset of patients will have underlying conditions that require monitoring and compensatory measures.
When it comes to pure GLP-1 medications (Wegovy), there's a modestly elevated relative risk of osteoporosis accompanying weight loss
According to reviews published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, GIP receptors appear in large numbers on the cells that build bone (osteoblasts and osteoclasts)
What clinical data indicates is that when the GIP receptor gets activated—something retatrutide does quite strongly—the result is actually a protective effect, one that helps maintain tissue-level bone properties to a greater degree than the amount of weight lost would predict.
A helpful summary is below.
2026 Medical Protocol Guidelines
Nutritional Intake: Aim to actively take in 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day.
Supplementation: Take 700–1200 mg of Calcium plus 800–1000 IU of Vitamin D daily. Make sure Vitamin A and Vitamin K intake is sufficient as well.
Exercise: Even just 2 to 3 sessions per week of resistance/strength training, paired with brief bouts of impact loading (such as walking, mild jogging or stair climbing), will place mechanical strain on the skeleton.
Monitoring: For at-risk patients (including postmenopausal women or those with a high baseline risk), a baseline DEXA scan is recommended so bone density can be tracked before and during therapy.
My guess is that most of what gets called "typical reta" bone loss stems from people not paying enough attention to their nutritional health. A smaller subset of patients will have underlying conditions that require monitoring and compensatory measures.
When it comes to pure GLP-1 medications (Wegovy), there's a modestly elevated relative risk of osteoporosis accompanying weight loss
According to reviews published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, GIP receptors appear in large numbers on the cells that build bone (osteoblasts and osteoclasts)
What clinical data indicates is that when the GIP receptor gets activated—something retatrutide does quite strongly—the result is actually a protective effect, one that helps maintain tissue-level bone properties to a greater degree than the amount of weight lost would predict.
A helpful summary is below.
2026 Medical Protocol Guidelines
Nutritional Intake: Aim to actively take in 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day.
Supplementation: Take 700–1200 mg of Calcium plus 800–1000 IU of Vitamin D daily. Make sure Vitamin A and Vitamin K intake is sufficient as well.
Exercise: Even just 2 to 3 sessions per week of resistance/strength training, paired with brief bouts of impact loading (such as walking, mild jogging or stair climbing), will place mechanical strain on the skeleton.
Monitoring: For at-risk patients (including postmenopausal women or those with a high baseline risk), a baseline DEXA scan is recommended so bone density can be tracked before and during therapy.
I'm also hoping you get to the bottom of this. CJC/IPA is something I've come across being used by some to boost bone density. The only reason I bring it up is that Abolaparatide is a complete unknown to me. Like @woundcarping, I think nailing down the cause matters. Reta might not be behind it. Other things could have played a role too. Low T, thyroid problems, and so on. Best of luck, and I'd really like to know how it turns out and what you did to fix it.