What supplements help Osteopenia, Osteoporosis?

I find the NNT ("number needed to treat") statistic interesting when reading any medical studies. It's fraught with the same 'fuzziness' that a lot of statistics related to human health are inherently but, in cases where a drug has a lot of adverse side effects, it's a measure of how many people who wouldn't benefit from it anyway are being exposed to them. I think doctors should tell patients the NNT stat when prescribing such drugs.

I’ve recently been diagnosed with Osteoporosis (-3.3) and prescribed Raloxifene 60mg with Exercise. I’ve been reading about AlgeaCal Plus, wondering your thoughts on this supplement. Thanks in advance.

Hello, and welcome to Mayo Connect. As a person who currently has adequate bone density, but is at risk for osteoporosis due to age, health conditions and heredity, I have wondered about Algae Cal Plus and other algae based supplements.

Currently I am taking Calcium Citrate plus Vitamin D & magnesium on the recommendation of my primary & my ortho. So I looked to see if there is clear evidence one way or the other about Algae Cal (which is chemically calcium carbonate.)

I went on a search to see if there is any published independent research that indicates calcium from algae is in any way superior to other forms. Nope - all the studies were by sellers of algae based calcium products, none I found met the requirements of an independent unbiased study.

Then I started reading what is published by Mayo, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, etc. No recommendations about using algae-based products. Mostly to be sure to take it with Vitamin D & magnesium to make it effective.

Here is what National Women's Health has to say: https://nwhn.org/have-you-ever-heard-of-algaecal-im-being-deluged-with-ads-saying-any-nutrient-supplied-in-natural-form-such-as-from-plants-is-better-absorbed-than-nutrients-supplied-from-rocks/

So - after an hour (about) at looking at this, I don't see a conclusive reason to change to something that will cost me 10 times as much as my current supplement. Have you asked the doc who diagnosed you what they recommend?
Sue

There are also competitive "bone" supplements that have algae-derived calcium plus D3 and K2 and bone-supporting minerals that sell for less than the Algea-Cal if the calcium source is the selling point.

I also take Calcium Citrate plus Vitamin D & magnesium. I recently read not to take the magnesium at the same time as your calcium. I had always taken them together. Has your doctor given you any info on this?

You all might want to check out OsteoDura which has Aquamin which is Calcium Carbonate from sea algae, and ofcourse Vitamin K2 and D as well as other great ingredients. This is what I take for my Osteoporosis.

I, too am very curious about the marketing vs. good science re: AlgaeCal. My inclination has always been that we are meant to get our nutrients from food sources, so the concept of algae as a source is ok. I just think it might be the Juice Plus analog-- yes, the stated elements are in the product, but the high cost may not not be correlative to any functional difference from a drugstore supplement. My osteoporosis endocrinologist told me that to get adequate calcium from greens,it has to be sturdy greens such as kale & collards, not tender greens like spinach.

We try to get most of our nutrition from eating a variety of food as well. After a couple episodes where my B12 levels rose alarmingly, I don't even use a multi-vitamin. And because there is Vitamin D in my calcium, and I practically live outdoors most of the year, I don't even take extra Vitamin D. I do supplement calcium because of my risk category.

I grow kale in my patio planters as a filler. We eat the tender parts of the leaves in place lettuce in BLT's. Also, I add strips of kale to soup in the last 20 minutes of cooking. Good in potato/leek and even tomato/basil or bean soup.

I like you Juice Plus analogy. Several evaluations of the algae based calcium supplements mentioned that the "other ingredients" beyond calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D and possibly Vitamin K have stated there is no scientific evidence to show they are helpful.

I also like what my primary told me a several years ago "Too much of most supplements just gives you expensive pee. But too much of some of them can also settle in your organs and cause damage. Only take what you need."

Sue

I like the idea of algae-based calcium, hoping it comes from clean waters though. I kind of worry about animal-sourced calcium because I don't know how much hormones or pesticides or other drugs that livestock are frequently given end up in the calcium.

For those not taking vitamin K as part of a bone-support regime, there are studies behind the value of vitamin K2 in helping bones use the calcium and also helping prevent arterial calcium build-up. That's if my cardiologist is correct. I've been taking calcium for several years and have a very low calcium score and a recent echocardiogram result was good despite chronic highish cholesterol.

Why not take them together???