Strontium: An Alternative Treatment For Osteoporosis

March 15, 2009

by Teri Lee Gruss, citizen journalist

_http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html)

(NaturalNews) Research spanning a century has shown that strontium, a

naturally occurring trace mineral, is an important component of healthy bone

tissue. Researchers from around the world have found that, in pharmaceutical

doses,

it dramatically increases bone density and reduces risk for fractures in

women with osteoporosis.

National Osteoporosis Foundation statistics indicate that â€œosteoporosis

causes more than 1.5 million fractures annually: 700,000 vertebral, 300,000

hip,

250,000 wrist and 300,000 fractures at other sitesâ€. _[1]_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn1) Sadly, â€œan average of 24% of

hip fracture

patients aged 50 and over dies in the year following their fracture.â€ _[2]_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn2)

As our population ages in huge numbers, finding a safe and effective

treatment for _osteoporosis_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/osteoporosis.html) is

more

important than ever before. Dr. Susan Brown, director of the Osteoporosis

Education Project (OEP) in East Syracuse, N.Y., says â€œOur bone crisis worsens

each year, despite intensive public health and _disease_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/disease.html) treatment effortsâ€. _[3]_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn3)

So, exactly what is strontium? It is element number 38 on the periodic table

of elements. It is in the same group of elements as calcium and _magnesium_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/magnesium.html) . That means it has similar

chemical properties as these better known elements.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, an agency of the US

Department of Health and Human Services, notes that safe, non- toxic forms of

strontium most often occur in mineral form. Another form of strontium known as

strontium 90 is found in nuclear fall out and is a known radioactive toxin.

Strontium is found in the _minerals_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/minerals.html) celestite and strontianite. Itâ€™s

in the air, water, soil and in plant

and animal tissue. Itâ€™s found in human bone tissue. In nature strontium

exists

in different forms, some are safe and stable while others are extremely

toxic. This may lead to confusion about which forms are safe and beneficial to

bone health. _[4]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn4)

The bulk of dietary strontium is found in whole grains, spices, leafy and

root vegetables, seafood and legumes. Soil content of strontium affects the

amount found in plant and animal tissue. In the article Strontium for

Osteoporosis: To Dose or Megadose, Alan Gaby, MD says that the â€œtypical diet

contains 1

to 3 milligrams of strontium a day.â€ _[5]_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn5)

Researchers believe that strontium stimulates bone cells that build new bone

tissue (osteoblasts) and inhibit cells that break down or resorb bone tissue

(osteoclasts).

Osteoblast activity is predominant in children as they are growing and

building bone tissue, while osteoclast activity becomes more predominant as we

age. In healthy people this process of building up and breaking down of bone

tissue stays in relative balance throughout life however, bone loss accelerates

for most in their late twenties and early thirties.

According to Dr. Susan Brown, the healthy human skeletal system is rebuilt

about every ten years in a process called â€œremodelingâ€. _[6]_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn6) This remodeling process is

tightly regulated

by multiple physiological mechanisms and depends on healthy nutritional

status, exposure to sunlight, internal acid/alkaline balance, hormone balance

and

the ability to regularly engage in weight bearing physical activity. It is

an intricate and amazing balancing act!

But can we lose _bone mass_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/bone_mass.html)

while maintaining healthy bone strength? And is bone mass less important to

_health_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/health.html) than bone strength? These are

questions that researchers are currently attempting to answer.

In Europe strontium is available in a patented prescription product that

contains strontium ranelate. Ranelate is a synthetic salt of ranelic acid. This

product is not available in the US or Canada.

In the US, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA)

classifies strontium as a _dietary supplement_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/dietary_supplement.html) . It is manufactured in

several unpatentable forms

including strontium citrate, gluconate and carbonate. It can be derived from

mined

ore, processed with citric acid from corn dextrose and fermented with palm

oil to produce strontium citrate. _[7]_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn7) Without carrier compounds like

citrate, carbonate, gluconate,

_lactate_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/lactate.html) , or malate, to name just a

few, minerals would pass through our digestive tracts unabsorbed.

It is the carrier compound for strontium that has fueled international

strontium research and it is the carrier compound that has raised scientific

debate about how strontium is best delivered to bone tissue.

In 1959 researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN conducted case study

research designed to assess the effects of strontium lactate on a group of

32 people with osteoporosis.

Although dual energy X-ray assessment for _bone density_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/bone_density.html) (DEXA) did not exist in 1959

researchers did

however conclude that 84% of patients with painful osteoporosis showed

â€œmarked

subjective improvementâ€ and that â€œthe therapeutic value of the drug appears

to

be establishedâ€. _[8]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn8)

More recent international studies, including the large, placebo controlled

double blind multi-center STRATOS study (Meunier et al ) and the TROPOS study

(Reginster et al), used strontium ranelate, a synthetic, patented form of

strontium.

Results of the STRATOS study were published in the New England Journal of

Medicine in 2004. Researchers concluded that â€œTreatment of postmenopausal

osteoporosis with strontium ranelate leads to early and sustained reductions in

the risk of vertebral fractures and that strontium ranelate may be as effective

as current drug therapy without the side effectsâ€. _[9]_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn9)

The TROPOS study was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and

Metabolism in 2005. Researchers found a 39% risk reduction in vertebral

fractures and a 36% risk reduction in hip fracture in post _menopausal women_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/menopausal_women.html) over a 3 year time period.

Bone mineral density increased 8.2% at the femoral neck and 9.8% at the hip.

Researchers concluded that â€œover a 3 year period (strontium ranelate) is

well tolerated. It confirms that strontium ranelate reduces vertebral fractures

(and) offers a safe and effective means of reducing the risk of fracture

associated with osteoporosisâ€._[10]_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn10)

Ranelate. Citrate. Carbonate. Gluconate. Lactate. Does the carrier molecule

really matter in these positive outcomes? Several high profile physicians in

the CAM community believe that it is the strontium that has the effect on

_bone health_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/bone_health.html) rather than the

carrier compound used to deliver it to tissue.

Ronald Hoffman, MD, founder of the Hoffman Center in New York City says that

â€œstrontium has been safely used as a medicinal substance for more than a

hundred years. In clinical research strontium gluconate was absorbed better

than

strontium carbonate. It is my clinical opinion that strontium citrate is

absorbed better than the other forms of this mineralâ€. _[11]_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn11)

Jonathan V. Wright, MD, founder of the Tahoma Clinic in Kent, WA says that

both natural and semi-synthetic forms of strontium are effective (in treating

osteoporosis). _[12]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn12)

Calcium inhibits the absorption of strontium. If you choose to use

supplemental strontium it is very important not to take it at the same time that

you

take _calcium_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/calcium.html) containing

supplements or even eat calcium rich foods. Therefore, avoid bone support

supplement

formulas that contain both calcium and magnesium in the same dose.

Choose your supplement carefully, look for one manufactured by a company

that participates in GMP, Good Manufacturing Practices. These companies tend to

rigorously test raw materials and post production products for purity and

potency although this designation is currently not a guarantee of quality.

Also look for a supplement that lists the â€œelementalâ€ content of strontium.

For example one manufacturer of strontium citrate states that 1 serving (one

capsule) contains 720mg of strontium citrate (providing 227mg of elemental

calcium). That way you know the precise dosage of strontium that you are

taking.

Alan Gaby, MD says that â€œThe evidence is clear that strontium

supplementation can help prevent osteoporotic fractures. Additional research is

needed,

however, to determine what dose provides the optimal balance of safety and

efficacy.â€ _[13]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_edn13) With this

in

mind, if you are at risk for low bone density, if you already have osteoporosis

or have experienced an osteoporosis related fracture, talk with your

physician about strontium, about what form and dosage of strontium might help

you

improve your bone health and reduce your risks for fracture.

References and additional reading:

_[1]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref1)

_http://www.nof.org/osteoporosis/dis..._

(http://www.nof.org/osteoporosis/diseasefacts.htm)

_[2]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref2)

_http://www.nof.org/osteoporosis/dis..._

(http://www.nof.org/osteoporosis/diseasefacts.htm)

_[3]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref3) Acid-Alkaline

Balance and Its Effect on Bone Health

Susan E. Brown, Ph.D., CCN, and Russell Jaffe, MD, Ph.D., CCN

International Journal of Integrative Medicine

Vol. 2, No. 6 â€“ Nov/Dec 2000

_http://www.betterbones.com/_ (http://www.betterbones.com/)

_[4]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref4)

_http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/phs159.html_

(http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/phs159.html)

_[5]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref5) Alan Gaby MD,

Strontium for Osteoporosis: To Dose or Megadose, The Townsend Newsletter for

Doctors and Patients, May 2006

_http://findarticles.com/p/articles/..._

(http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_274/ai_n16359696/print)

_[6]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref6) Acid-Alkaline

Balance and Its Effect on Bone Health

Susan E. Brown, Ph.D., CCN, and Russell Jaffe, MD, Ph.D., CCN

International Journal of Integrative Medicine

Vol. 2, No. 6 â€“ Nov/Dec 2000

_http://www.betterbones.com/_ (http://www.betterbones.com/)

_[7]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref7) Source: Pure

Encapsulates _http://www.purecaps.com/PDF/pi/Strontium_Citrate.pdf_

(http://www.purecaps.com/PDF/pi/Strontium_Citrate.pdf)

_[8]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref8) McCaslin, F.E.,

Jr., and Janes, J.M. The effect of strontium lactate in the treatment of

osteoporosis. Proc Staff Meetings Mayo Clin, 1959, 34:329-33

_[9]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref9) The effects of

strontium ranelate on the risk of vertebral fracture in women with

postmenopausal

osteoporosis, N Engl J Med, 2004, Jan 29;350(5):459-68). Meunier, et al

_http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/350/5/459_

(http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/350/5/459)

_[10]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref10) J Clin Endocrinol

Metab 2005 May;90(5):2816-22. Epub 2005 Feb 22.

Strontium ranelate reduces the risk of nonvertebral fractures in

postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: Treatment of Peripheral Osteoporosis

(TROPOS)

study, Reginster, et al

_[11]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref11) Dr. Ronald

Hoffman, Strontium for bone health

_http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/447_

(http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/447)

_[12]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref12) Fight-even

prevent-osteoporosis with the hidden secrets of this bone-building miracle

mineral

By Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. From Nutrition and Healing

_http://www.tahoma-clinic.com/strontium.shtml_

(http://www.tahoma-clinic.com/strontium.shtml)

_[13]_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html#_ednref13) Alan Gaby MD,

Strontium for Osteoporosis:To Dose or Megadose, The Townsend Newsletter for

Doctors, May 2006

March 19, 2009

I just recently started using strontium citrate as my stomach won't

tolerate the bisphosphonates. I'm also taking all the appropriate

supplements and using spirulina and/or chlorophyll to try and stay

alkaline. Has anyone else used strontium? and what kind of results did

you have?

> Strontium: An Alternative Treatment For Osteoporosis

> by Teri Lee Gruss, citizen journalist

> _http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html_

> (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html)

>

> (NaturalNews) Research spanning a century has shown that strontium, a

> naturally occurring trace mineral, is an important component of

healthy bone

> tissue. Researchers from around the world have found that, in

pharmaceutical doses,

> it dramatically increases bone density and reduces risk for fractures

in

> women with osteoporosis.

>

March 21, 2009

I have been researching alts for osteoporosis also.

I have read that, contrary to what they have been saying, that we should not

take more calcium then magnesium. That magnesium is very important and more

calcium then mg. can have negative result. I read we should take it on a 1:1

ratio. And also take enough D.

I had also read about strontium, but remember reading something negative about

it as far as side effects, so you might want to do more research. I have been

reading so much stuff on osteoporosis lately, I can't remember what the side

effects were, but you should be able to find out by googling it.

Good luck,

Peggy

Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on

Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.

Albert Einstein

March 22, 2009

I have a friend whose husband recently started to take a strontium protocol.

Too soon for any results though they do expect good ones. My doctor also uses a

strontium protocol with some of her patients. I understand that the results

have been good. From all that I have heard and read you should be pleased. Just

don't expect miracles tomorrrow ----- expect them, but not until next

year..........

blessings

Shan

, " earthmother1111 "

<pink627 wrote:

>

> I just recently started using strontium citrate as my stomach won't

> tolerate the bisphosphonates. I'm also taking all the appropriate

> supplements and using spirulina and/or chlorophyll to try and stay

> alkaline. Has anyone else used strontium? and what kind of results did

> you have?

>

> > Strontium: An Alternative Treatment For Osteoporosis

> > by Teri Lee Gruss, citizen journalist

> > _http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html_

> > (http://www.naturalnews.com/z022238.html)

> >

> > (NaturalNews) Research spanning a century has shown that strontium, a

> > naturally occurring trace mineral, is an important component of

> healthy bone

> > tissue. Researchers from around the world have found that, in

> pharmaceutical doses,

> > it dramatically increases bone density and reduces risk for fractures

> in

> > women with osteoporosis.

> >

>

March 23, 2009

Do you have any idea where you could have read about these negative side

effects for strontium? I would very much appreciate it as I haven't found any.

And my doctor is using strontium with some of her patients and so is a good

friend of mine.

blessings

Shan

, Peggy Pazdro <pegpaz

wrote:

>

> I have been researching alts for osteoporosis also.

>

> I have read that, contrary to what they have been saying, that we should not

take more calcium then magnesium. That magnesium is very important and more

calcium then mg. can have negative result. I read we should take it on a 1:1

ratio. And also take enough D.

>

> I had also read about strontium, but remember reading something negative about

it as far as side effects, so you might want to do more research. I have been

reading so much stuff on osteoporosis lately, I can't remember what the side

effects were, but you should be able to find out by googling it.

>

> Good luck,

> Peggy

>

> Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on

Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.

>

> Albert Einstein

>

March 24, 2009

.. Posted by: " Peggy Pazdro " pegpaz

<pegpaz?Subject=%20Re%3A%20Strontium%3A%20An%20Alternative%20Tr\

eatment%20For%20Osteoporosis>

pegpaz <http://profiles./pegpaz>

Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:36 am (PDT)

I have been researching alts for osteoporosis also.

I have read that, contrary to what they have been saying, that we

should not take more calcium then magnesium. That magnesium is very

important and more calcium then mg. can have negative result. I

read we should take it on a 1:1 ratio. And also take enough D.

I had also read about strontium, but remember reading something

negative about it as far as side effects, so you might want to do

more research. I have been reading so much stuff on osteoporosis

lately, I can't remember what the side effects were, but you should

be able to find out by googling it.

Good luck,

Peggy

Supplementing with any amount of calcium

can be problematic. It will cause cramps and, contrary to what we hear,

we get enough of it through our diets. Magnesium has many excellent

benefits and we generally do not get enough of it. But taking it orally

is in effective amounts is also a problem because it is a natural

laxative. Therefore, the best way to take it is transdermally.

March 25, 2009

Do you have any idea where you could have read about these negative side

effects for strontium? I would very much appreciate it as I haven't found any.

And my doctor is using strontium with some of her patients and so is a good

friend of mine. blessings Shan

I have the following saved to a file. I hope it's alright to reproduce this

here, because I do not have the original posters name saved. Sharon

****

The promotion of essential micronutrients like sex hormones, vitamins and

minerals for multisystem health including bones is vital.

But what evidence for longterm cost:benefit is there for strontium supplement

for anything let alone bones?

A warning was published in 2005 (Prescrire Int. 2005;14:207-11.) Strontium: new

drug. Postmenopausal osteoporosis: too many unknowns. [No authors listed]).

http://www.level1diet.com/759319_id. No new strontium trials have appeared

since. And all the big strontium trials have been done by one group, funded by

the manufacturer.

There is in fact only one solitary major trial published of sodium ranelate in

osteoporosis, the SOTI-TROPOS trial by Reginster, Meneur ea for the strontium

ranelate SrR manufacturers (Servier) at 72 centers in 11 European countries and

Australia, in some 5000 postmenopausal women recruited from 1996 through 1998

ie till about 2003, with either previous postmenopausal fracture or frank

osteoporosis: All on 1 to 1.5gm calcium and vitamin D 400-800iu/day, they were

randomized to placebo or SrR 2gm/day. After a mean of 3 years, compared to

placebo, vertebral fractures in 1442 women at a mean of 69yrs were reduced by

49% from baseline , but in the entire cohort nonvertebral fractures were

reduced by only 16% from baseline at mean age of 77yrs.. All fractures were

reduced from 12.9% to 11.2% ie 4.3%pa to 3.7%pa; hip fractures from 3.4% to

2.9%, vertebral fractures from 14% to 7.7%.

Are these differences significant for patient care, when the longterm effects of

strontium therapy are unknown, and the longterm adverse effects of

biphosphonates are becoming horrifically clear?

But these trials of SrR used only weak baseline prevention of lowdose calcium

and vitamin D . Magnesium, estrogen. vigorous-dose vitamin D eg 2000iu/d,

vitamin K, androgen, boron, zinc, and the numerous other preventative bone-and

muscle-strengthening supplements were apparently specifically excluded or

omitted.

And like the concurrent Womens' Health Initiative, the SOTI-TROPOS trial was

stopped woefully too soon instead of letting it run for at least 10 years to see

the longterm benefit (if any). Worst of all, it did not test whether SrR adds

any benefit on a sensible baseline of all the proven supplements that we have

used for decades.

As Winzenberg ea ask in a recent 2007 Australian review, Strontium ranelate

Does it affect the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis?

http://www.racgp.org.au/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/AustralianFamilyPhys\

/2007issues/afp2007august/200708wizenberg.pdf

" Strontium ranelate did not cause gastritis, back pain or death, but more or

less doubled numerous adverse effects :

*50% more (ie six out of 100 women taking strontium ranelate) experienced

diarrhoea compared to four out of 100 taking placebo,

.. The risk of vascular system disorders including venous thromboembolism (two

trials, n=6669, 2.2 vs. 1.5%, OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.1) , pulmonary embolism

(two trials, n=6669, 0.8 vs. 0.4%, OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0-3.1) as well as nervous

system disorders such as headache (3.9 vs. 2.9%), seizures (0.3 vs. 0.1%),

memory loss (2.4 vs. 1.9%) and disturbance in consciousness (2.5 vs. 2.0%) is

slightly increased with taking 2 g of SrR daily over 3-4 years

.. There were no RCTs identified which compared SrR to other treatments of

postmenopausal osteoporosis. "

It is common cause that the chief risk factor for fracture is not bone density

but frailty, falls; and that the only microsupplements that strengthen muscle

are apparently androgen, zinc, calcium and magnesium and the vitamins D and

B6, 9 and 12. There is no absolute contraindication to appropriate long term

human androgen plus estrogen replacement .

Now Fuchs ea show that " Strontium ranelate does not stimulate bone formation in

ovariectomized rats " ..

http://www.galenicom.com/pt/medline/article/18385919/Strontium+ranelate+does+not\

+stimulate+bone+formation+in+ovariectomized+rats./ - sex hormones are necessary

for strontium to benefit bones.

With the old fashioned calmag, zinc, boron, fluoride vitamins A-E, and

parenteral androgen plus estrogen, we have seen bone density rise by 1%pa and

hip density by 1/2% pa over 15years from age 52 in a frail woman with severe

rheumatoid arthritis, despite management with corticosteroid and other remittive

drugs, and repeated surgeries to replace destroyed joints. She has never

sustained an osteoporotic fracture.

So what is the indication to add the long-term (ie >10year) unproven strontium

to proven effective supplements?

Strontium ranelate may work in the medium term (3 to 5 years) but there is still

apparently no more justification for using strontium routinely for

preventing/ treating ageing osteoporosis than there is for biphosphonates or

calcitonin. Considering it's cost including risks, it may be asked if it is

ethical to recommed strontium at more than trace levels?

Refs at http://healthspanlife.wordpress.com/

March 26, 2009

This was one site that mentioned side effects. I am not sure if this is the

one that I had originally read though.

http://74.6.239.67/search/cache?ei=UTF-8 & p=strontium+side+effects+osteoporosis & f\

r=slv8-grpj & SpellState=n-468889953_q-hgwDRPO7eOH0pqFWRjPuuQAAAA%40%40 & u=www.meta\

genics.com/pdf/pp_strontium.pdf & w=strontium+side+effects+effect+osteoporosis & d=E\

j_T7p2uSZzf & icp=1 & .intl=us

Peggy

Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on

Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.

Albert Einstein

March 29, 2009

Thanks Sharon.

Actually my Environmental doctor has been using it successfully with a couple

of her patients. The results my doctor has seen in her patients is similar to

that written in the articles below.

blessings

Shan

Osteoporosis and Strontium

Strontium is in the same mineral family as calcium & magnesium, and its been

shown to promote bone growth in both animals and people.History of discovery &

studies. Clinic physicians reported that they had asked 22 individuals with

severe, painful osteoporosis to take 1,700 mg of strontium daily. Another 10

people took the same amount of strontium along with estrogen and testosterone.

In the hormones plus strontium group, 9 of 10 experianced marked improvement. In

the strontium only group, 18 of 22 had marked improvement & the other 4 had

moderate improvement. That means that every single person had some improvement

using strontium. Add strontium to your supplement program, Take one 227mg

capsule 3x a day. For those without osteoporosis but higher risk [family

history, immobility, etc ] one capsule daily is probably adequate for preventive

purposes. And make sure you're taking even more calcium - 1200, 1500 mg a day is

a good general range -along with magnesium and other 'backup' minerals & other

nutients.

http://www.arthritistrust.org/Articles/Osteoporosis%20And%20Strontium.pdf

Dr. Jonathan Wright's Censored Health Secrets

Strontium and vitamin D for reversing osteoporosis

" There is just the best controlled, double-blind, placebo-controlled research

out there that the element strontium, when combined with calcium and Vitamin D,

can dramatically help to reverse osteoporosis. The latest study reported a gain

of 15 percent over three years in bone in the spine and 9 percent in the hip,

and

there is no patent medicine on the market that comes close. And the strontium's

in all the health food stores. "

http://downloads.truthpublishing.com/DrWright.pdf

, " Starshar " <starshar

wrote:

>

> Do you have any idea where you could have read about these negative side

effects for strontium? I would very much appreciate it as I haven't found any.

And my doctor is using strontium with some of her patients and so is a good

friend of mine. blessings Shan

>

> I have the following saved to a file. I hope it's alright to reproduce this

here, because I do not have the original posters name saved. Sharon

> ****

>

> The promotion of essential micronutrients like sex hormones, vitamins and

minerals for multisystem health including bones is vital.

>

> But what evidence for longterm cost:benefit is there for strontium

supplement for anything let alone bones?

>

> A warning was published in 2005 (Prescrire Int. 2005;14:207-11.) Strontium:

new drug. Postmenopausal osteoporosis: too many unknowns. [No authors listed]).

http://www.level1diet.com/759319_id. No new strontium trials have appeared

since. And all the big strontium trials have been done by one group, funded by

the manufacturer.

>

> There is in fact only one solitary major trial published of sodium ranelate

in osteoporosis, the SOTI-TROPOS trial by Reginster, Meneur ea for the

strontium ranelate SrR manufacturers (Servier) at 72 centers in 11 European

countries and Australia, in some 5000 postmenopausal women recruited from 1996

through 1998 ie till about 2003, with either previous postmenopausal fracture

or frank osteoporosis: All on 1 to 1.5gm calcium and vitamin D 400-800iu/day,

they were randomized to placebo or SrR 2gm/day. After a mean of 3 years,

compared to placebo, vertebral fractures in 1442 women at a mean of 69yrs were

reduced by 49% from baseline , but in the entire cohort nonvertebral fractures

were reduced by only 16% from baseline at mean age of 77yrs.. All fractures

were reduced from 12.9% to 11.2% ie 4.3%pa to 3.7%pa; hip fractures from 3.4%

to 2.9%, vertebral fractures from 14% to 7.7%.

>

> Are these differences significant for patient care, when the longterm effects

of strontium therapy are unknown, and the longterm adverse effects of

biphosphonates are becoming horrifically clear?

>

> But these trials of SrR used only weak baseline prevention of lowdose

calcium and vitamin D . Magnesium, estrogen. vigorous-dose vitamin D eg

2000iu/d, vitamin K, androgen, boron, zinc, and the numerous other preventative

bone-and muscle-strengthening supplements were apparently specifically excluded

or omitted.

>

> And like the concurrent Womens' Health Initiative, the SOTI-TROPOS trial was

stopped woefully too soon instead of letting it run for at least 10 years to see

the longterm benefit (if any). Worst of all, it did not test whether SrR adds

any benefit on a sensible baseline of all the proven supplements that we have

used for decades.

>

> As Winzenberg ea ask in a recent 2007 Australian review, Strontium ranelate

Does it affect the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis?

http://www.racgp.org.au/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/AustralianFamilyPhys\

/2007issues/afp2007august/200708wizenberg.pdf

> " Strontium ranelate did not cause gastritis, back pain or death, but more or

less doubled numerous adverse effects :

> *50% more (ie six out of 100 women taking strontium ranelate) experienced

diarrhoea compared to four out of 100 taking placebo,

> . The risk of vascular system disorders including venous thromboembolism (two

trials, n=6669, 2.2 vs. 1.5%, OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.1) , pulmonary embolism

(two trials, n=6669, 0.8 vs. 0.4%, OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0-3.1) as well as nervous

system disorders such as headache (3.9 vs. 2.9%), seizures (0.3 vs. 0.1%),

memory loss (2.4 vs. 1.9%) and disturbance in consciousness (2.5 vs. 2.0%) is

slightly increased with taking 2 g of SrR daily over 3-4 years

> . There were no RCTs identified which compared SrR to other treatments of

postmenopausal osteoporosis. "

>

> It is common cause that the chief risk factor for fracture is not bone

density but frailty, falls; and that the only microsupplements that strengthen

muscle are apparently androgen, zinc, calcium and magnesium and the vitamins D

and B6, 9 and 12. There is no absolute contraindication to appropriate long

term human androgen plus estrogen replacement .

>

> Now Fuchs ea show that " Strontium ranelate does not stimulate bone formation

in ovariectomized rats " ..

http://www.galenicom.com/pt/medline/article/18385919/Strontium+ranelate+does+not\

+stimulate+bone+formation+in+ovariectomized+rats./ - sex hormones are necessary

for strontium to benefit bones.

>

> With the old fashioned calmag, zinc, boron, fluoride vitamins A-E, and

parenteral androgen plus estrogen, we have seen bone density rise by 1%pa and

hip density by 1/2% pa over 15years from age 52 in a frail woman with severe

rheumatoid arthritis, despite management with corticosteroid and other remittive

drugs, and repeated surgeries to replace destroyed joints. She has never

sustained an osteoporotic fracture.

>

> So what is the indication to add the long-term (ie >10year) unproven

strontium to proven effective supplements?

>

> Strontium ranelate may work in the medium term (3 to 5 years) but there is

still apparently no more justification for using strontium routinely for

preventing/ treating ageing osteoporosis than there is for biphosphonates or

calcitonin. Considering it's cost including risks, it may be asked if it is

ethical to recommed strontium at more than trace levels?

> Refs at http://healthspanlife.wordpress.com/

>

March 29, 2009

Thanks Sharon.

In reading this I keep getting the impression that they are basing their

opinions on a drug ,not the natural mineral. And I know that regardless hwo much

the drug companies try to tell us differently, that drugs which are supposedly

knock offs of natural substances - aspirin for one - are not the same at all as

if easily seen in the side effects of the drugs which the natural products do

not have. So I have become suspicious of studies that seem to say that natural

nutrients have damageing efffects,

It is just me or do you also get the impression that they are considering a

knock-off drugs substitute for the minerals strontium?? I know that the articles

I posted before as well as my doctor's experiance, - they ALL used the natural

mineral of strontium.