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.

kfhoz | @kfhoz | Feb 19 2:10pm

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

I did considerable research on OsteoStrong including doing a one-time free trial. I suggest careful review of research about any intervention that you are considering.

Here are some things that influenced me not to proceed with OsteoStrong (OS):
1 - I could find no good scientific research that indicates OS works. All personal stories I read of success included other interventions simultaneously. I saw personal stories of failures describing no-progress, and even posters who claimed injury, from OS.
2 - OS is expensive per minute. You sign up per month but they allow you to do the "exercise" a max of only 1 time per week. While I was there some women came in, did the machines, and left in only 10 minutes. Other research on other interventions have shown that at least 2x per week is needed for a positive bone effect.
3 - There is good research showing the benefits of other interventions such as impact exercises, WBV, and high resistance exercises as in the LiftMor studies. I am spending my time and money on these types of well-supported activities.

New research papers were published in 2025 about OsteoStrong. Below are a couple of links discussing the research, and you can search for the actual papers yourself.

Osteoporosis Canada:
https://osteoporosis.ca/position-statements/osteoporosis-canadas-response-to-a-recent-publication-about-osteostrong
Review in International Osteoporosis Foundation publication:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40691713/
Dr. Doug Lucas (also read the comments on this video):

bobbie1965 | @bobbie1965 | Mar 26 5:01am

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.

Jump to this post

@kathleen1314 what brand strontium citrate do you take... their are many quilty brands like thore , pure encapsulations, ect that carry it...not only the form of algeacal boost that cost a fortune

mcchesney | @kathleen1314 | Mar 26 7:18am

In reply to @bobbie1965 "@kathleen1314 what brand strontium citrate do you take... their are many quilty brands like thore ,..." + (show)

@bobbie1965
This information which I have gleaned personally and found speaking especially with Inspire posters, see link to posts below. My endocrinologist just told me to change nothing and never recommended a particular strontium or a particular calcium.
All strontium is the same strontium. What changes are the additives, the carrier and how the product is monitored.
I have taken several strontiums. AOR , and Vitacost are two.
Terry Naturally is another brand which has been mentioned on Inspire.
AOR has the least additives and is monitored by the Canadian government similar to how the FDA monitors drugs.
Vitacost has a good price point and I have not had a problem with their additives.
https://www.inspire.com/m/Kathleen1314/journal/7ed0c4-supplements-calcium-vit-k-collagen-etc/

bobbie1965 | @bobbie1965 | Mar 27 5:16am

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

My thought are you made incredible improvement and shame on your doctor for not cheering you on

karenolivia47 | @karenolivia47 | Mar 27 10:57am

In reply to @lindamaegirl "I take algaecal plus but stopped short of taking the strontium because of everything I read..." + (show)

@lindamaegirl
I also had had a compression fracture before starting AlgaeCal and Strontium. Five months after beginning them I had a horrendous fall on the cement slab outside my chicken coop--hurrying too fast. The edge of the slab split the tissue of my left forearm leaving bone visible. Ribs and shin were also hit. I was certain I'd broken something but the ER pics showed NO FRACTURES! I am crediting the strontium. I don't care if it causes some increase in DEXA values. I am certain it worked for me. And my last DEXA after being on them for 15 months was much improved even taking into account the strontium skew. Science is important--I'm a nurse. But my personal experience outweighs the lack of studies.

Bridget | @louise1963 | Mar 27 5:05pm

In reply to @karenolivia47 "@lindamaegirl I also had had a compression fracture before starting AlgaeCal and Strontium. Five months after..." + (show)

Thank you for relating your experience. What was/ is your dose of strontium? I'm about to take this path to increase bone density.

loplady | @loplady | Mar 27 5:14pm

I just watched the latest Video of Dr. Doug Lucas and Dr. John Neustadt where they talk about Strontium, which neither recommend, K2 MK4 vs K2 Mk7 and Calcium. Here it is if you'd like to watch it. This gives me pause about taking Strontium. The discussion about Strontium starts at 13:35.

Bridget | @louise1963 | Mar 27 5:19pm

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

I follow Dr. Doug Lucas on Facebook. He doesn't appear to be encouraging Osteostrong due to current published studies of efficacy. However your latest scan values are impressive. If I were you I wouldn't change what I was doing.

oknowwhatpixie | @oknowwhatpixie | Mar 27 5:55pm

In reply to @loplady "I just watched the latest Video of Dr. Doug Lucas and Dr. John Neustadt where they..." + (show)

@loplady
When i clicked the link before the video started and an advertisement for Algae Cal played, which I found funny.

I stopped watching the video after a while.

Here is a study about strontium citrate
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3265100/
I am currently take Strontium Citrate, and with no side effects.
My TBS has improved since last year in my spine, where I was diagnosed with osteoporosis. The increase in the TBS tells me it is working.

loplady | @loplady | Mar 27 6:37pm

In reply to @oknowwhatpixie "@loplady When i clicked the link before the video started and an advertisement for Algae Cal..." + (show)

@oknowwhatpixie That is funny. When I start it I get an ad for some men's pants, not Algae Cal. I'm glad you have had good luck with it. I guess it just like Osteoporosis drugs, some have no side effects while others do. Thanks for the link....

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