The Strontium Debate: Is it good for bone health?

I’ve read about it. A company called Algaecal has a bundle you can purchase that includes Algaecal calcium + Strontium. I purchased the calcium tablets only since I want to do more research on strontium.

gigi & @meomurian - This has been discussed before, and here is an explanation of why it strontium supplements are not a good idea, especially for anyone on Prolia or another treatment. Strontium deposits itself, replacing calcium in the bone, making bone density tests inaccurate. Strontium is not bone, and its efficacy in reducing fractures is unknown.
- Why Strontium Is Not Advised for Bone Health https://americanbonehealth.org/medications-bone-health/why-strontium-is-not-advised-for-bone-health/

It should be discussed with your doc before beginning treatment.
Sue

I appreciate your comments to my post.

When looked into it some years ago, I read that one form of it was used as a prescription treatment for osteoporosis in Europe but has been taken off the market. The medication was not the same substance that is available over the counter here.

Look up the MOTS and COMB clinical trials that shows the efficacy of strontium citrate to build bone and positively affects trabecular bone.

Can you please spell out MOTS and COMB or provide a link to the reports? These are not acronyms I am familiar wit, and I would like to read them.
Sue

Sue, Just a wild guess until you hear from @vgkime.

--- Melatonin-micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment Study (MOTS): a translational study assessing melatonin, strontium (citrate), vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 (MK7) on bone density, bone marker turnover and health related quality of life in postmenopausal osteopenic women following a one-year double-blind RCT and on osteoblast-osteoclast co-cultures:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5310667/
--- Hypotensive and HbA1c reducing effect of novel dietary intervention program “COMB meal program”: Two randomized clinical trials: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464622003498

Hi Sue these are the actual names of the studies. John, volunteer mentor spelled out the MOTS acronym but if you google MOTS or COMB study or clinical trials they will come up as MOTS and COMB:
“Combination of Micro nutrients for Bone (COMB) Study: Bone Density after Micronutrient Intervention” and
“Melatonin-micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment Study (MOTS):

Thanks to @johnbishop, I found the information you referred to.
Always seeking more natural interventions for health and wellness, I read both with a great deal of curiosity. I am learning a lot! Enough to be encouraged that there may be answers on the horizon.

Here is my analysis of the MOTS (Melatonin-micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment) Study:
This was a well-designed and executed small study of a population having osteopenia, not osteoporosis, and no high cholesterol, high blood pressure, inflammatory/autoimmune disease. So, a typical first-round population.
The regimen tested was a combination of melatonin (5mg), strontium citrate, Vitamin D3 & Vitamin K2 (MSDK) Dosages of the other 3 not disclosed in the report
It yielded impressive results in the 11 people who completed the trial, compared to the 11 on placebo, and they stated, "... In our study, osteopenic women taking MSDK for one year had a significant improvement in their left femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD and demonstrated a lower risk for a major osteoporotic fracture risk compared to women taking placebo. This is consistent with previous studies that demonstrate an increased BMD using melatonin alone [12], strontium alone [13, 14] or combination vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 [17, 18] or combination strontium citrate, vitamins K2 and D3 [20]. MSDK was found to be less effective in improving hip BMD, perhaps due to the kinetics of bone remodeling in long vs. flat bones [52]"

My takeaway:
There should be Phase 2 & 3 clinical studies to evaluate effectiveness in typical populations and those who already have osteoporosis. Also a follow-up after 5 years of supplementation to demonstrate long-term efficacy.
We need to be careful about "grabbing onto" hope based on small studies, and taking supplements in different combinations and concentrations than are tested. We also need to know if they are effective when other conditions/medications enter the mix. And whether they are safe and effective long-term.

I don't have time right now, but will look at the COMB study on a different day.
Sue

In the MOTS study I found this: "Treatment capsules, referred to as “MSDK” were formulated using 5 mg melatonin, 450 mg strontium (citrate), 2000 IU vitamin D3 and 60μg vitamin K2, divided into two capsules. Identical placebo capsules matching in size, shape and color contained plant fiber. Study capsules were formulated and manufactured according to the principal investigators' specifications and supplied by Pure Encapsulations, Inc. (Sudbury, MA, USA)."
Personally I am unconvinced that increases in BMD via strontium equate to stronger healthier bones. It supposedly makes DXA scans report higher density than you actually have. Plus, just because strontium and citrate are natural doesn't mean that high doses are safe. Many trace minerals are damaging in high doses. 450 mg of strontium is a roughly 100 times higher dose than you might get from your diet. I'm unconvinced but it seems there is no definitive answer about strontium at present.