Our meta-analysis provides promising evidence to suggest that using the Tonifying-Kidney principle combined with western medicines for primary osteoporosis is more effective than using western medicines alone.
Thirty-six studies with 3617 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed a consistently superior effect of the TS (TK) principle combined with conventional Western medicine (CWM) in terms of total effectiveness rates, BMD of the lumbar spine and proximal femur, TCM symptom integral, and VAS scores, when compared to using CWM alone and with significant differences. Besides, in respect of adverse effects, it showed no significant statistical difference between the experimental and control groups.