What this comparison tells you
Parathyroid hormone analogue
Teriparatide
EstablishedAn official agency review or strong, repeated studies in people support one clear use. That evidence applies only to the product, people, and use in the reviewed sources. It does not mean the product is safe or effective for everyone.- Evidence type
- Health results for approved uses
- Approval
- FDA-approved products exist for specific osteoporosis populations
- Approved products
- Forteo · approved teriparatide products
- Sports status
- Not assessed
- Sources used
- 3 sources
- Last reviewed
- July 23, 2026
An established osteoporosis medicine that can reduce fracture risk in defined groups. Its evidence does not apply to every fracture-healing claim.
Parathyroid hormone-related peptide analogue
Abaloparatide
EstablishedAn official agency review or strong, repeated studies in people support one clear use. That evidence applies only to the product, people, and use in the reviewed sources. It does not mean the product is safe or effective for everyone.- Evidence type
- Health results for approved uses
- Approval
- An FDA-approved product exists for defined osteoporosis populations
- Approved products
- Tymlos
- Sports status
- Not assessed
- Sources used
- 3 sources
- Last reviewed
- July 23, 2026
An approved osteoporosis medicine with fracture evidence in defined groups and product-specific safety limits.
How the evidence compares
These are separate questions, not one score. A peptide can be well understood in one area and uncertain in another.
Both peptide columns stay aligned. Read across each row to compare the same question. On smaller screens, each question shows both records together.
Each question shows both records together.
| Question checked | TeriparatideEstablished | AbaloparatideEstablished |
|---|---|---|
| Health benefitsDid people's health improve? | TeriparatideStrong Randomized evidence supports vertebral and nonvertebral fracture-risk reduction in defined osteoporosis populations. | AbaloparatideStrong The ACTIVE phase 3 trial supports fracture-risk reduction in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. |
| Body changes in peopleWhat body changes did studies in people measure? | TeriparatideStrong Bone-turnover, exposure, and product-specific pharmacology are well characterized. | AbaloparatideStrong Approved labeling characterizes PTH1-receptor activity, exposure, and bone-turnover effects. |
| Known risksWhat do we know about risks in people? | TeriparatideStrong Labels describe hypercalcemia, orthostatic hypotension, osteosarcoma risk factors, and other precautions. | AbaloparatideStrong Known risks and monitoring are described in the current product label. |
| Exact productDo we know what the product contains and how well it was made? | TeriparatideStrong High for authentic approved products used within the label. | AbaloparatideStrong High for authentic Tymlos used within the approved label. |
| Approval statusIs there a reviewed product for a specific use? | Teriparatide FDA-approved products exist for specific osteoporosis populations | Abaloparatide An FDA-approved product exists for defined osteoporosis populations |
Questions to ask before you compare
Use these questions to see whether the records match.
- 01
Which exact product and label does the evidence come from?
- 02
Which people did the trials study, and for how long?
- 03
Did the study measure fewer new fractures or faster healing of a broken bone?
- 04
What safety limits does each label set?
What sources were used
The number of sources does not prove strength. Different sources answer different questions. A drug label, a trial, a cell study, and an agency review do not mean the same thing.
Teriparatide
3 sources used
- Randomized trial2
- Drug label1
Controlled trials and approved labeling support fewer spine and non-spine fractures in defined osteoporosis groups at high fracture risk.
This evidence does not prove faster healing for every new fracture, universal benefit in athletes, or safety outside monitored prescription use.
Abaloparatide
3 sources used
- Drug label1
- Randomized trial1
- Regulatory1
The ACTIVE study compared abaloparatide with placebo or open-label teriparatide in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Abaloparatide reduced new spine and non-spine fractures versus placebo over 18 months.
The result does not establish that it is better than every osteoporosis medicine, improves healthy people, or heals every new injury better.
Fact checks for each peptide
Each result applies only to the statement shown. Open its record to see the version and sources.
Teriparatide
“Teriparatide reduces fracture risk in defined osteoporosis populations.”
The pivotal evidence and label support vertebral and nonvertebral fracture-risk reduction in studied high-risk populations.
- Evidence used
- Health results from a study with randomly assigned groups
- What this result covers
- Labeled osteoporosis populations at high fracture risk.
“Teriparatide is proven to heal every fracture faster.”
Fracture prevention and acute fracture healing are different endpoints, and trial results vary by fracture setting.
- Evidence used
- Health results from a study with randomly assigned groups
- What this result covers
- Acute fracture-healing outcomes across all fracture types.
“Because teriparatide is a peptide, it has no serious risks.”
The current label includes clinically important warnings, precautions, and population restrictions.
- Evidence used
- Official record or product label
- What this result covers
- Approved teriparatide product use.
Abaloparatide
“Abaloparatide reduced fractures in a randomized phase 3 trial.”
ACTIVE found fewer new vertebral and nonvertebral fractures versus placebo in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
- Evidence used
- Health results from a study with randomly assigned groups
- What this result covers
- Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at fracture risk over 18 months.
“Abaloparatide is proven to improve bone outcomes in every population.”
Approved indications and trial populations define the evidence boundary.
- Evidence used
- Health results from a study with randomly assigned groups
- What this result covers
- Populations outside the current label and pivotal trial.
“An anabolic bone effect means abaloparatide is a safe performance enhancer.”
A prescription osteoporosis benefit-risk assessment does not establish safe enhancement in healthy people.
- Evidence used
- Official record or product label
- What this result covers
- Healthy or athletic performance use.
Products with the same ingredient can differ
Evidence applies to the exact product used in a study. Check the peptide's amino-acid order, ingredients and form, how it enters the body, and where it came from. A shared ingredient name does not prove that another vial has the same benefits or risks.
Teriparatide
34 amino acids · recombinant PTH fragment
The evidence applies to specific approved products and groups of people. Teriparatide evidence concerns approved drug products and labeled osteoporosis populations, not every product called PTH 1-34 or every type of fracture.
Forteo
2024 label- How it enters the body
- Under the skin (subcutaneous)
- Use and people covered
- Osteoporosis uses in the high-fracture-risk populations defined in the product label.
- Osteoporosis treatment in labeled high-fracture-risk populations
Abaloparatide
34 amino acids · PTHrP analogue
The study result belongs to the named prescription product, not every similar product or use. Tymlos is a product-specific prescription medicine. Trial findings do not validate unapproved PTHrP analogues or general performance use.
Tymlos
2025 label- How it enters the body
- Under the skin (subcutaneous)
- Use and people covered
- Osteoporosis uses in the high-fracture-risk populations defined in the product label.
- Osteoporosis treatment or bone-density increase in labeled high-risk populations
Sports rules and safety limits
These statuses do not give personal clearance to compete.
Teriparatide
This editorial review did not determine sport eligibility. Athletes must check the current prohibited list, Global DRO, and their governing body.
ReviewedThe label has important limits on duration, risk factors, calcium, and monitoring. No dose, injection, or off-label fracture-healing instructions are provided.
Abaloparatide
This editorial review did not determine sport eligibility. Athletes must check the current prohibited list, Global DRO, and their governing body.
ReviewedThis prescription osteoporosis medicine has product-specific warnings and limits on use. No dose, injection, or performance guidance is provided.
Two related bone medicines
Teriparatide is a 34-amino-acid piece of human parathyroid hormone. It is also called PTH 1-34. It is used as a prescription medicine to help build bone in osteoporosis, a condition with weak bones.
Abaloparatide is a man-made version of a parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP). It also has 34 amino acids. It acts at the PTH1 receptor and is used as a medicine to help build bone.
Both are graded Established, with approved human outcomes. That evidence belongs to approved products used within their labels.
Forteo and Tymlos: what each label covers
Forteo is an FDA-approved teriparatide product. It comes in a prefilled delivery device and is injected under the skin. Its label covers osteoporosis uses in the high-fracture-risk groups it names. The record also refers to other approved teriparatide products.
Tymlos is the FDA-approved abaloparatide product. It comes as an injection pen used under the skin. Its label covers osteoporosis treatment or a bone-density increase in the high-risk groups it names.
The evidence does not cover every product called PTH 1-34. It also does not cover unapproved PTHrP analogues or use for general performance.
What studies in people found
The teriparatide record cites a 2001 randomized trial in postmenopausal osteoporosis. With the Forteo label, it supports fewer spine and non-spine fractures in defined groups at high fracture risk. The claim that teriparatide reduces fracture risk in these groups is graded Supported with scope.
The ACTIVE phase 3 trial studied postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. It compared abaloparatide with a placebo or with open-label teriparatide. In an open-label group, people know which medicine they get. Abaloparatide reduced new spine and non-spine fractures compared with placebo over 18 months.
The claim that abaloparatide reduced fractures in a randomized phase 3 trial is graded Supported with scope. ACTIVE included a teriparatide group, but the record reports only the result against placebo. This page does not compare fracture results between the two medicines.
Preventing fractures is different from healing a new one. The claim that teriparatide heals every fracture faster is graded Not established. Trial results vary by fracture setting. The claim that abaloparatide improves bone outcomes in every population is also graded Not established.
Safety, product, and sports limits
The Forteo label describes high blood calcium (hypercalcemia) and a drop in blood pressure on standing (orthostatic hypotension). It also describes risk factors for osteosarcoma, a bone cancer. The label sets limits on how long it is used, calcium, and monitoring.
The Tymlos label describes its own known risks, warnings, and monitoring. Its use is limited to the groups the label names.
The claim that teriparatide has no serious risks because it is a peptide is graded Misleading. The claim that abaloparatide is a safe performance enhancer is also graded Misleading. A benefit in osteoporosis does not show safe use in healthy people.
Neither review, both dated July 23, 2026, assessed sport eligibility. Athletes must check the current prohibited list, Global DRO, and their governing body. No dose, injection, or fracture-healing instructions are given here.
Side effects in each FDA label
Each FDA label lists the side effects seen in that product's own placebo-controlled trials. The tables below copy those numbers. Placebo means a shot with no medicine in it. A problem in a table is not proof that the medicine caused it.
The trials studied different people for different lengths of time. The labels say side-effect rates from one medicine's trials cannot be directly compared with rates from another medicine's trials. Compare each number with the placebo number next to it, not with the other table.
One key warning from each label
- Forteo label: Its warnings include a bone cancer called osteosarcoma that was seen in rats given teriparatide. The label says it has been reported in people taking Forteo, but observational studies have not shown a higher risk. Read the full label for all warnings.
- Tymlos label: Its warnings include a bone cancer called osteosarcoma that was seen in rats. The label says it is not known whether Tymlos causes it in people. Cases have been reported in people after approval of medicines of this type, but observational studies have not shown a higher risk. Read the full label for all warnings.
Each label lists more warnings. See the full tables and notes on each peptide page, linked below.
Forteo vs Tymlos: side effects in the osteoporosis labels
The Forteo label lists problems in at least 2% of people on Forteo that were more common than on placebo. The Forteo table here shows only rows at 5% or more. Its rows from 2% to under 5% are on the teriparatide page. Many Forteo rows were almost as common on placebo, and the label does not say Forteo caused them.
The Tymlos label lists problems in at least 2% of people on Tymlos, so one Tymlos row is as common on placebo. A problem missing from a table may still have happened below that label's cutoff, or, for Forteo, no more often than on placebo.
The Tymlos tables show only Tymlos and placebo. The reviewed records give no side-effect rates for the teriparatide group in the Tymlos trial in women. The Forteo table comes from Forteo's own trials.
Compare each Forteo or Tymlos number with its own placebo number.
Forteo trials in women and men with osteoporosis 11 months (men), 19 months (women)
1,382 adults aged 28 to 86. 691 got Forteo and 691 got placebo. Everyone also took calcium and vitamin D. The middle trial length was 11 months for men and 19 months for women.
| Reported problem | Forteo | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Pain | 21.3% | 20.5% |
| Joint pain (arthralgia) | 10.1% | 8.4% |
| Runny or stuffy nose (rhinitis) | 9.6% | 8.8% |
| Weakness (asthenia) | 8.7% | 6.8% |
| Nausea | 8.5% | 6.7% |
| Dizziness | 8.0% | 5.4% |
| Headache | 7.5% | 7.4% |
| High blood pressure (hypertension) | 7.1% | 6.8% |
| More coughing | 6.4% | 5.5% |
| Sore throat (pharyngitis) | 5.5% | 4.8% |
| Constipation | 5.4% | 4.5% |
| Upset stomach (dyspepsia) | 5.2% | 4.1% |
| Diarrhea | 5.1% | 4.6% |
Source for Forteo trials in women and men with osteoporosis: Forteo prescribing information on DailyMed , label revised .
Tymlos trial in women after menopause with osteoporosis 18 months
Women aged 49 to 86. The label counts 822 women on Tymlos and 820 on placebo.
| Reported problem | Tymlos | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| High calcium in the urine (hypercalciuria) | 11% | 9% |
| Dizziness | 10% | 6% |
| Nausea | 8% | 3% |
| Headache | 8% | 6% |
| Pounding or fast heartbeat (palpitations) | 5% | 0.4% |
| Tiredness (fatigue) | 3% | 2% |
| Upper belly pain | 3% | 2% |
| Spinning feeling (vertigo) | 2% | 2% |
Source for Tymlos trial in women after menopause with osteoporosis: Tymlos prescribing information on DailyMed , label revised .
Tymlos trial in men with osteoporosis 12 months
Men aged 42 to 85. 149 men got Tymlos and 79 got placebo.
| Reported problem | Tymlos | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Redness where the shot was given | 13% | 5% |
| Dizziness | 9% | 1% |
| Joint pain (arthralgia) | 7% | 1% |
| Swelling where the shot was given | 7% | 0% |
| Pain where the shot was given | 6% | 0% |
| Bruising | 3% | 0% |
| Bloated belly | 3% | 0% |
| Diarrhea | 3% | 0% |
| Nausea | 3% | 0% |
| Belly pain | 2% | 0% |
| Bone pain | 2% | 0% |
Source for Tymlos trial in men with osteoporosis: Tymlos prescribing information on DailyMed , label revised .
Full tables, notes, and warnings
Report a side effect
You can report a suspected side effect to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or through FDA MedWatch . If a reaction feels serious, get medical care first.
What these records cannot answer
- The ACTIVE trial included an open-label teriparatide group. The reviewed record reports abaloparatide's result against placebo only, so no fracture comparison between the two is made.
- The label side-effect tables come from different trials, so their rates cannot be compared directly between the two.
- The records give no dosing, treatment length, injection, or switching guidance, and none is given here.
- Neither record assessed sport eligibility, so this page cannot state it for either.
- The reviewed records contain no cost, insurance, or availability data, so none is reported.
This page does not provide dosing, sourcing, or treatment advice.
Read the sources behind the comparison
Teriparatide