The Strontium Debate: Is it good for bone health?

Posted by meomurian @meomurian, Feb 20, 2023

Is anyone taking strontium for bone health? My husband is reading studies on its benefits. I am currently getting Prolia injections 2x/year.

***Director's Note:***
There’s not enough clinical research to know if strontium citrate effectively prevents or treats osteoporosis. Mayo Clinic does not recomend its use. Clinically researched osteoporosis medications have demonstrated fracture prevention benefit with less risk.

The FDA doesn’t regulate supplements in the same way as prescription drugs, so it's not possible to know if if they are safe or work well or even how much of the main ingredient they contain.

If you wish to take a strontium supplement, it is advised to discuss with your doctor.

All information shared by members on the Mayo Clinic Connect is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the community.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Osteoporosis & Bone Health Support Group.

loplady | @loplady | Dec 30, 2025

In reply to @kathleen1314 "@blueberre Well let's cover this one by one: Firstly, strontium ranelate vs strontium citrate and other..." + (show)

@kathleen1314

@blueberre
Well let's cover this one by one:
Firstly, strontium ranelate vs strontium citrate and other strontiums and how to view the research. Strontium is the only part of those compounds that has ever been tied to bone health. The ranelate, citrate etc are additives attached to the strontium for various reasons. The ranelate is attached so the company may patent the product. So if you look at side effects you need to look at the ranelate, citrate etc additives but if you look at bone health you need to view the strontium research. So basically all strontium research is bone research for all of strontium.

Secondly, Strontium Ranelate and the now notorious one population study that caused cardio concerns. If you are familar with research then you know that population studies are not the best way to draw conclusions about any drug. There are frequently no hard standards, just self reporting and no control groups. So that one study taken in an older more fragile population of people using strontium ranelate showed a higher rate of cardio event. Showed a higher rate of cardio events in a population of existing heart patients which were not excluded. Recognizing the problems with that study, Denmark and the UK conducted their own more controlled population study with both lasting for over a year I believe (ck the research links which I provided). They found no increased risk of cardio events linked to strontium in all subsequent studies. So many consider that original study poorly performed and an outlier.

Next, strontium citrate testing etc. First, strontium citrate is found in most of the world's gound water and seafood. Think of it like calcium which it closely resembles, but used at therapeutical levels for us with osteoporosis. But yes, no supplement is ever going to be studied the way that a pharma drug is. Still, there are several studies on just strontium citrate, and they show good results. The Inspire links will give you lots of this research.
Does strontium work? Well my dexa tech tells me that I am one of only 2 people which she has seen in 20 years that no longer have osteoporosis. in addition, I have no side effects and no fractures. My recent dexa taken 2025 December, showed normal bone density and normal TBS or bone quality.
If you go on Inspire you will find a community of us with the same results.
I do believe because strontium citrate works in a more "natural" way than pharm drugs that strontium citrate does best with osteoporosis cases that aren't as drastic as some. But we have people on Inspire who were suffering spontaneous fractures from pharma drugs that have used strontium citrate with good results.
My endocrinologist released me years ago saying that I no longer needed him, but he warned me to change nothing. I have never known a doctor to tell a strontium user after seeing their good results to go off of strontium.
I do wish that there were more studies also.

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@kathleen1314 What, if any, other things do you do for bone health? I just listened to a Hack My Age podcast where she was interviewing Dr. Lucas about Strontium(12/22/25) and he made a point that it is hard to know which factor made an increase in bone mass or quality when we are doing so many things, ie diet, exercise, other supplements.

osteo9 | @osteo9 | Jan 11 4:04am

In reply to @karenolivia47 "I had three doses of Fosamax in June, 2024. After the third dose I developed ilial..." + (show)

My score is -4.3. My endo doctor put me on Tymlos without explaining the dangerous side effects. After much of my own research, I decided on Osteostrong in combination with OsteoCal plus and Strontium. Your comments gave me hope. Next scan not due for another 2 years so I will work hard on this more natural method and will comment on my results
then.

karenolivia47 | @karenolivia47 | Jan 11 3:46pm

In reply to @osteo9 "My score is -4.3. My endo doctor put me on Tymlos without explaining the dangerous side..." + (show)

@osteo9
Those -4's are scary numbers, right? My endocrinologist ordered the two-year DEXA at 15 months after I did a lot of whining and sniveling about needing to know if the AlgaeCal Plus and OsteoStrong I'd been doing were really working. Thankfully the results were good. I'd made a deal with her that if they were not improved I'd consider Reclast. Such a relief! One thing to mention--I had a serum calcium drawn recently as part of a panel for another issue. My calcium levels were at the very top end of normal so that bears watching.

k7226 | @k7226 | Jan 18 9:46am

In reply to @babadonnalee "I have just got a bone scan and it came that I have severe osteoporosi. I..." + (show)

Has anyone tried algae call Plus and what have been your results? TY

gravity3 | @gravity3 | Jan 18 1:35pm

In reply to @k7226 "Has anyone tried algae call Plus and what have been your results? TY" + (show)

There are a number of subheadings under Osteoporosis that have comments about algaecal.

Gloria Squitiro | @squitirogloria | Jan 20 10:22am

In reply to @k7226 "Has anyone tried algae call Plus and what have been your results? TY" + (show)

Good question. I have the same question about most of their products.

blueberre | @blueberre | Jan 21 6:54am

In reply to @karenolivia47 "I had three doses of Fosamax in June, 2024. After the third dose I developed ilial..." + (show)

Sounds like you are going in tr right direction. Surprised your doc is still pushing the drugs. With results like that Id expect your doc to say, keep doing what you are doing.

edwinabutterfly | @edwinabutterfly | Jan 22 2:57pm

In reply to @karenolivia47 "I had three doses of Fosamax in June, 2024. After the third dose I developed ilial..." + (show)

The improvement you experienced after using AlgaeCal with Strontium and attending OsteoStrong for a year and a half is so remarkable and encouraging to me. I have -4.5 numbers in my spine and my doctor told me today that even if I could improve my food absorption, my bone density will never improve no matter what I do unless I take drugs. I felt so disheartened when she said that, but your words offer me renewed hope! May I ask you what the strength of the Strontium is that you are taking? OsteoStrong might be too much for me to handle but I want to look into that too. My supplements, which are many, seem to be keeping me from getting worse for the past three years but I am afraid that the supplements will never build up my bone density and since I am 73, I am nervous about what will happen as I age. Thank you for sharing! I'm going to run these ideas past my doctor, because I also suffer with IBS, and it would be nice if I could get her support. Best wishes to you on your healing journey which is amazing.

karenolivia47 | @karenolivia47 | Jan 23 9:19am

In reply to @karenolivia47 "I had three doses of Fosamax in June, 2024. After the third dose I developed ilial..." + (show)

Don't give up, Edwina! The Strontium dosage is 680 mg. I too was terrified about having to take drugs so had a lot invested in AlgaeCal and Strontium and OsteoStrong working for me. I haven't been particularly good about spacing of the AlgaeCal. I take the first dose in the morning, eat pretty much what I want, including yogurt, and take the second dose at least 4 hours later, usually around noon. I take the Strontium in the evening. AlgaeCal makes it easy with their Bone Builder Pack which includes both AlgaeCal Plus and the Strontium. I am a believer. Will be rooting for you!

lindamaegirl | @lindamaegirl | Feb 18 2:01pm

In reply to @karenolivia47 "I had three doses of Fosamax in June, 2024. After the third dose I developed ilial..." + (show)

I take algaecal plus but stopped short of taking the strontium because of everything I read on line about false positives ..... it shows on the dexa scan numbers which are better because the strontium is heaver than calcium but there is no real change in bone density. I would love for someone to show me the science that negates that since i do not want meds and have 2 compression fractures

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