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Strontium citrate, fractures and lack of research
I am looking to see if there are any studies done that show a reduced chance of fracture from using Strontium citrate (Algaecal) as opposed to calcium. Everything I have read only mentions increase of density using it. Does anyone have doctor input or a study showing an decrease in bone fractures?
***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.
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You may be interested in reading the “deep dive” med publications cited above. Looks promising
@nene78 Hi there. I read the osteoporosis section just now and it is quite positive. And I do intend to keep researching strontium.
Your intake of 12mg is quite low and maybe not a level that would trigger alarms for the different potential problems with strontium?
Here's one of my favorite pieces on strontium from Dr Alan Gaby a nutritional oriented doctor who I greatly respect.
https://townsendletter.com/editorial-05-18-gaby-high-dose-strontium/
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1 ReactionI agree if you are taking just the AlgaeCal with trace elemental minerals incorporated. This is like consuming naturally occurring strontium in our food.
However I remain concerned about the "Strontium Boost" supplement, which is 680 mg of Strontium Citrate; according to their website is sourced from elemental strontium from soil combined with citrate.
The daily dose is equivalent to twice the TOTAL amount of strontium that occurs naturally in our bones.
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1 Reaction@sueinmn from the article I believe the therapeutic dose of 680mg might be up to 200 times what we get from food. Side effects, especially cardiovascular, are a concern. I was however interested in the info in the article on possible benefits of low dose strontium (excerpt below). I still wonder if the 4mg or so that is typical in various supplements has any effect. We need more research!
"Researchers should investigate the possibility that the beneficial effects of high-dose strontium could be duplicated at least in part by much lower “nutritional” doses, such as 2-6 mg per day. The improvement in bone quality that results from the incorporation of strontium into hydroxyapatite crystals likely occurs with small doses of strontium, since strontium is present in the hydroxyapatite crystals of people who do not take strontium supplements. The possibility that low-dose strontium is beneficial is supported by the results of one study, in which the reduction in fracture incidence was nonsignificantly greater with 170 mg per day of strontium than with 340 or 680 mg per day. Whether doses less than 170 mg per day would influence bone mineral density or fracture risk has not been investigated."
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1 ReactionThank you for the informational article. I wish I could find info on strontium occurring in water, “organic algae” so I would know if I’m harming myself! I did have a suprising effect taking 5 mg/day-5% bone increase in dexa. My endocrinologist was really suprised. I would like to find an ongoing study to participate in. If you or anyone heard of one I’d appreciate hearing of it. Regards, Renee
@nene78 the problem is that you cannot know for sure that that increase is real. I have read the DEXA should be adjusted by 10% for strontium but that may have been for the 680mg.
Thank you for your reply. I actually called the vitamin company today and asked for the “studies” done on the strontium they are using in their vitamin. We will see if they reply to me! And you are right-no way of knowing!
Here is one of the Algaecal studies:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21492428/
Any study on strontium will be a study on Algaecal strontium.
What are Algaecal 1 and 2? Are these Algaecal (no strontium) , Algaecal Plus (trace strontium) or Bone Builder pack with Strontium Boost (680mg strontium)?
I am certainly interested in this study but find the website fundamentally flawed by mentioning a promised increase in DEXA scores without explaining that the improvement may be illusory.
Thank you for your reply and information. My vitamin is called MyKind and is a plant based Cal, K2 Mag and Strontium vitamin. Not sure how it compares to Algaecal.