Skeleton Pirate

Skeleton Pirate
Artist: LindaB

WELCOME TO STRONTIUM FOR BONES BLOG

Have you experienced negative, and even dangerous, side effects from Fosamax (alendronate), Boniva (ibandronate), Actonel (risedronate), Reclast (zoledronic acid), Prolia (denosumab), Forteo (teriparatide), Tymlos (abaloparatide), or other drugs prescribed for osteoporosis? If you have, then rest assured there is a safe, effective treatment for this condition. Strontium, primarily in the form of strontium citrate, is taken orally once a day.

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Browse the posts and visit the link library of references.






Blog Archive

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Methods for Assessing Bone Quality


Bone mass, geometry, and tissue material properties contribute to bone structural integrity. Thus, bone strength arises from both bone quantity and quality. Bone quality encompasses the geometric and material factors that contribute to fracture resistance. Although no single method can completely characterize bone quality, current noninvasive imaging techniques can be combined with ex vivo mechanical and compositional techniques to provide a comprehensive understanding of bone quality.


Methods for assessing mechanical properties include whole-bone, bulk tissue, microbeam, and micro- and nanoindentation testing techniques. Outcomes include structural strength and material modulus. Advantages include direct assessment of bone strength; disadvantages include specimen destruction during testing.



 Methods for characterizing bone geometry and microarchitecture include quantitative CT, high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT, high-resolution MRI, and micro-CT. Outcomes include three-dimensional whole-bone geometry, trabecular morphology, and tissue mineral density. The primary advantage is the ability to image noninvasively; disadvantages include the lack of a direct measure of bone strength.



 Methods for measuring tissue composition include scanning electron microscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, and chemical and physical analytical techniques. Outcomes include mineral density and crystallinity, elemental composition, and collagen crosslink composition. Advantages include the detailed material characterization; disadvantages include the need for a biopsy.



Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, Volume 469, Number 8 (2011), 2128-2138.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Is Strontium Ranelate Safe?


“Clinical trials are designed to assess efficacy, not safety and so post marketing data is needed to evaluate safety. Jakob et al report the results of an observational cohort study to assess safety and treatment persistence with SR during 3 years follow-up in 12,702 postmenopausal women from 7 countries (29). Mean age was 69.0 years with 16.5% of patients being over 80 years. Mean follow-up duration was 32 months and mean treatment duration was 25.2 months (24,956 patient-years of treatment). VTE was reported in 55 patients, an incidence of 2.1/1000 patient-years (95% CI 1.6, 2.8), lower than that observed in patients treated with SR in the phase III studies (7.9/1000 patient-years; 95% CI 6.3, 9.7). No DRESS syndrome or Stevens-Johnson syndrome was reported. Persistence of SR treatment was 80%, 68% and 64% after 12, 24 and 32 months treatment, respectively.”

29. Jakob FJ, Palacios S, Audran M, et al. Final results of a 3 years prospective observational cohort study of patients treated with strontium ranelate. Osteoporos Int 2012;23(Suppl 2):S73.



Wandering Skeleton

Wandering Skeleton
Artist: Joel Hoekstra

Osteoporotic Bone

Osteoporotic Bone
Source: www.mayoclinic.com

How Strontium Builds Bones

Strontium is a mineral that tends to accumulate in bone. Studies have shown that oral doses of strontium are a safe and effective way to prevent and reverse osteoporosis. Doses of 680 mg per day appear to be optimal. See my "For More Information About Strontium" links section.

Osteoporosis is caused by changes in bone production. In healthy young bones there is a constant cycle of new bone growth and bone removal. With age, more bone is removed and less new bone is produced. The bones become less dense and thus more fragile.

Scientists believe that strontium works in two ways. It may stimulate the replication of pre-osteoblasts, leading to an increase in osteoblasts (cells that build bone). Strontium also directly inhibits the activity of osteoclasts (cells that break down bone). The result is stronger bones.

When taking strontium, be sure to take 1200 mg calcium, 1000 IU vitamin D3, and 500 mg magnesium daily. It is best to take strontium late at night on an empty stomach. Calcium and strontium may compete with each other for absorption if taken together.