Osteoporosis treatment or strontium citrate?

Posted by bonelady @bonelady, May 10, 2018

Is reclast a safe treatment for osteoporosis I have not done anything so far except strontium citrate?

***Director's Note:***
There’s not enough research to know if strontium fights osteoporosis. Also, 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 want to take a strontium supplement, it is recommended to ask your doctor first.

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

dracena | @dracena | Sep 7, 2020

In reply to @judiruss "Do you know if you can take Strontium along with Prolia!" + (show)

I would suggest you check with your doctor.

dappy | @dappy | Sep 7, 2020

In reply to @dracena "Yes, and I could only walk a short distance before sitting down. I also had difficulty..." + (show)

I was wondering. I’ve been on Prolia and after about 2 years I developed a terrible hip problem. Pain on walking, sitting almost anything. Been through 2 rounds of PT, chiropractor, orthopedist ,etc. and nothing seems to give lasting relief. Don’t know if it’s the Prolia or not. No one seems to think so, though.

judiruss | @judiruss | Sep 8, 2020

Has the SC alone helped?

judiruss | @judiruss | Sep 8, 2020

In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @judiruss, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You ask a great question about whether supplements can..." + (show)

@colleenyoung

Hi @judiruss, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You ask a great question about whether supplements can be used in conjunction with prescribed medicines. I can understand your wanting to give your bones the best chance. However, it is important to know what works, what may have negative interactions, etc. So I went on a search for evidence-based articles.

Strontium comes in several forms: strontium citrate, strontium chloride, strontium ranelate, etc. None have been approved in the U.S. The forms of strontium available over-the-counter in the U.S. or on the Internet are usually strontium citrate or strontium chloride. These forms are different from the ranelate compound and there have been no studies showing that they are safe or effective. Strontium ranelate was authorized in the European Union in 2014 to treat severe osteoporosis, but was approval was withdrawn in 2017 and is no longer be recommended to treat osteoporosis because of data demonstrating serious negative side effects. This article explains in greater detail.
- Why Strontium Is Not Advised for Bone Health https://americanbonehealth.org/medications-bone-health/why-strontium-is-not-advised-for-bone-health/

With all the treatment options out there, Mayo Clinic researchers set out to do a comparative analysis. "There are too many drugs that are used for osteoporosis," says M. Hassan Murad, M.D., an internal medicine doctor and a clinical epidemiologist in the Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery. "We wanted to compare them so that patients and physicians can make informed decisions." The studies they reviewed, conducted around the world, tested one or more of the following interventions: various bisphosphonates, teriparatide, selective estrogen receptor modulators, denosumab, abaloparatide, romosozumab, estrogen with or without progesterone, calcitonin, lasofoxifene, strontium ranelate, tibolone, PTH 1-84, calcium, or vitamin D. You can read more about their findings here:
- Finding what works best to stop osteoporosis in its tracks https://advancingthescience.mayo.edu/2019/06/17/finding-what-works-best-to-stop-osteoporosis-in-its-tracks/

Judi, are you currently taking Forte? or Prolia?

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I have been taking SC. For about a year but I am about to start Prolia. Just wondering if they are safe taken together opened up my chances of success

dracena | @dracena | Sep 9, 2020

In reply to @judiruss "Has the SC alone helped?" + (show)

Yes, along with weight bearing exercise.

karlotta | @karlotta | Sep 9, 2020

I take a 70 mg tablet of alendronate sodium one a week. I had a bone scan done last week so it's possible I'll be prescribed something different soon. I'll be seeing a new doctor because I 'm going to a clinic closer to my home.

eppiemarner2 | @eppiemarner2 | Oct 4, 2020

In reply to @parrotqueen "Please read what I have written about supplementation. You can do natural supplementation at the same..." + (show)

Thank you for your incredibly thorough and helpful posts. My bone density has been severely low for awhile because from the early 20's until my late 40's I had a low thyroid condition that was not diagnosed. My whole hormonal systems was thrown off. I resisted taking any the medical treatments for osteoporosis because of the side effects. I've taken for years Ca, K, D, and other supplements, prescribed by an orthomolecular doctor, who was mentored by Linus Pauling. Last April I came down with Giant Cell Arteritis, which is treated with Prednisone. I had no choice but to go on the drug. The consequences of not doing so are blindness and/or an aneurysm. I will be on it until next July, though at increasingly lower doses. Since going on Prednisone I have had two fractures in my lumbar spine and now, because of the stress put on it as I walk, a sprained shoulder, and because of severe narrowing in two discs between my shoulders, a pinched nerve. My pain level is 10, and I've gone from practicing tai chi, hiking, and kayaking to barely being able to walk or do simply tasks, like drying the dishes. Alarmed and dismayed, I am considering taking Reclast, though one of the posts tells a cautionary tale. My endocrinologist wanted me to do Foreo, but the cost is prohibitive, plus I'm not sure I want to take a drug that messes with my parathyroid. I'm curious if hour osteoporosis group is online and if it is, is becoming a member possible. Going against mainline medicine, which I have often done, can be a lonely road.

mcfigg | @mcfigg | Oct 5, 2020

In reply to @breakdancer "I have been treated with bisphosphanates, forteo, prolia and I had 11 non-traumatic spontaneous vertebral compression..." + (show)

Hello Breakdancer: I am new to this site, looking for help with a severe case of PMO. have been on Forteo now for 1 1/2yrs, still getting worse. I have heard about strontium but can't find anything about what it might do to the kidneys Hve you any info on that? Would appreciate any info. Thank you, Mcfigg

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Oct 5, 2020

In reply to @mcfigg "Hello Breakdancer: I am new to this site, looking for help with a severe case of..." + (show)

Hello @mcfigg, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. There is another discussion you might find helpful in the Women's Health group - Increasing bone density naturally after menopause: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/increasing-bone-density-naturally-after-menopause/

There are also other discussions related to strontium that you may want to read through...
- Osteopenia: AlgaeCal Plus, strontium citrate & other treatments: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/question-5/
- Osteoporosis treatment or strontium citrate?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/osteoporosis-treatment-or-strontium-citrate/

You may also be interested in the following article by American Bone Health Organization - Why Strontium Is Not Advised for Bone Health: https://americanbonehealth.org/medications-bone-health/why-strontium-is-not-advised-for-bone-health/

Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Oct 6, 2020

In reply to @johnbishop "Hello @mcfigg, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. There is another discussion you might find helpful in..." + (show)

@johnbishop Thanks. John, for the link to the Strontium article. I've heard both bad/good things about it. The fact that it can produce a false impression on Dexa Scans as well as some of the side effects makes me feel uncomfortable about trying it. Appreciate the information. It is better to make an informed decision based on facts rather than conjecture.