Bone loss after bariatric surgery: could denosumab be the answer?

NCT ID NCT04087096

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

Bariatric surgery can lead to bone loss and increase fracture risk. This study tested whether denosumab, a drug used for osteoporosis, could prevent that bone loss. The trial included 36 postmenopausal women and men aged 50 and older who were planning weight-loss surgery. Participants received denosumab or a placebo at 1, 7, and 13 months after surgery, with a follow-up dose of zoledronic acid at 19 months.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Denosumab (Prolia)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a way to protect bones after bariatric surgery, reducing fracture risk.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 36 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Bone loss prevention may not be fully achieved.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Bone Diseases, Metabolic osteoporosis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

BARIATRIC SURGERY CANDIDATE BONE LOSS

Contacts and locations

Locations

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
University of California, San Francisco

San Francisco, California, 94143, United States

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