I tried using just supplements but it didn't work; in fact, I got worse. My Dexa scan showed a severe deterioration despite using supplements with exercise etc. I was 69 by this point. I feel I lost valuable time relying on just supplements instead of seeing a specialist and getting prescription treatment. My mother had multiple fractures in her 80s and was on narcotics for a spinal fracture for the last year of her life. I don't want that to happen to me. I'm built like her. My Dexa scan results are actually worse than hers were.

I use Citracal Max Plus which has Vit D and all of the other minerals in it.

I've been told by multiple doctors that supplements will not rebuild bone. They will only help to maintain what's there. If you have osteopenia or maybe mild osteoporosis, you might "get away with" using supplements for a time...but you might be only delaying the inevitable. It's hard to say. A friend of mine has mild osteoporosis in her hip and was able to maintain with 1500 mg of calcium every day (and exercise), but I don't know what her most recent results show.

It depends on the person. If your body is actively losing bone, then supplements will not treat that process.

I don't know if many people on this blog understand that there are several underlying causes of bone loss which supplements cannot treat. I'm glad I finally went to a specialist because she did a workup of causes. For example, celiac disease, parathyroid hormone and autoimmune disorders can be associated with osteoporosis. I did learn that I have an abnormal protein called an M protein in my blood. I had to get a further workup for this by oncology.

So, treating yourself with just supplements may not be the best choice for you. You will not rebuild bone and may even have a severe deterioration. You may have underlying disorders that are exacerbating the bone loss. I regret not going to a specialist when I was first diagnosed with mild osteoporosis. Like I said, it does depend on the person. It depends on your family history, etc.