My Daily Supplements Update

I take one of each supplement daily, except for strontium. I take two capsules of strontium per day.

  1. Bluebonnet Lecithin, 1365 mg in one softgel

  2. Solgar Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex, 1000 mg per tablet

  3. Country Life, Gluten Free, Calcium Magnesium Complex (500 mg Ca, 250 mg Mg per tablet)

  4. Doctor’s Best Lutein with Optilut, 20 mg lutein esters yielding 10 mg minimum of free lutein, 2 mg zeaxanthin per capsule

  5. AOR Strontium Support II, 341 mg strontium (from citrate) per capsule (two capsules daily)

  6. Nature Made Multi for Him, No Iron (Not a typo. My husband and I both take this multivitamin.)

  7. Nature Made Vitamin C, 500 mg

  8. Solgar Natural Vitamin E (as d-Alpha Tocopherol plus d-Beta, d-Delta and d-Gamma Tocopherols), 400 IU

  9. Nature’s Way Primadophilus bifidus (This is a probiotic.)

10. Solgar Sublingual Methylcobalamin, 5000 mcg

11. Solgar Zinc (as zinc gluconate), 50 mg

I have made a few changes since my last daily supplements update on June 11, 2015:

http://strontiumforbones.blogspot.com/2015/06/my-daily-supplements.html

The most significant change was the switch from Doctor’s Best Strontium Bone Maker to AOR Strontium Support II. I made this change after Doctor’s Best was sold to a Chinese company and before discovering that Doctor's Best Strontium was discontinued in July 2016 (60- and 120-count bottles) and September 2016 (360-count bottle).  

I reduced my dosage of Bluebonnet Lecithin from two to one softgel, which is a serving per the label. Many years earlier, I had been taking three softgels per day. The reason for my latest dosage reduction is that there is currently some controversy about the health benefits of lecithin. I’ve been taking it for many years for cardiovascular health.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lecithin  See the introduction and the section on “Biology” in Wikipedia for an overview of lecithin, choline, and phospholipids, such as phosphatidylcholines, a class of phospholipids that incorporate choline as a head group.  

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26108618  “Effects of choline on health across the life course: a systematic review.”

I also switched from Nature’s Bounty Vitamin E to Solgar Vitamin E, from Twin Labs Zinc to Solgar Zinc, and from Country Life Citrus Bioflavonoids and Rutin to Solgar Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex. These changes were due solely to unavailability at my online supplement distributor, iherb.com, which no longer stocks Nature’s Bounty Vitamin E or Twin Labs Zinc. Country Life Citrus Bioflavonoids and Rutin is out of stock at iherb.com until 12/25/2016. I may buy whichever bioflavonoid brand is available when I reorder.

I like my supplier’s next day air expedited shipping (at extra cost) because some vitamins and supplements are heat labile. I am unhappy with its current policy of giving a discount, based on total amount of current invoice, for my NEXT purchase rather than for my CURRENT purchase, as was previously done. This policy has raised my costs. 

Doctor's Best Has Been Sold to a Chinese Company

On June 15, 2016, North Castle Partners and its co-investors announced the sale of Doctor's Best, Inc. ("Doctor's Best" or "DRB"), a leading marketer and distributor of branded nutritional supplements (e.g., Doctor's Best Strontium Bone Maker brand of strontium citrate), to Xiamen Kingdomway Group Co. (SHE: 002626). For North Castle Partners, the exit concludes another successful partnership in the nutritional supplements industry. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About North Castle Partners
North Castle Partners is a private equity firm focused on investments in product and service businesses that promote healthy, active, and sustainable living. North Castle is a hands-on, value-added investor in high-growth, middle market companies in the (i) beauty and personal care, (ii) consumer health, (iii) fitness, recreation and sports, (iv) home and leisure and (v) nutrition sectors, among others. North Castle's current portfolio includes such well-known brands as Curves International/Jenny Craig, Barry's Bootcamp, Palladio Beauty Group, Mineral Fusion, Red Door Spas, Sprout Organics, SmartyPants, Brooklyn Boulders, Ibex Outdoor Clothing, and Turnbridge. North Castle is headquartered in Greenwich, CT. For more information, visit www.northcastlepartners.com.

About Doctor's Best, Inc.
Irvine, CA-based Doctor's Best, Inc. manufactures and distributes dietary supplements.  Doctor's Best is known for a broad line of products based on sound research and manufactured with quality ingredients. For more information, visit www.drbvitamins.com.

About Xiamen Kingdomway Group Co.
Xiamen Kingdomway Group Company (KDW) was founded in 1997 as a key High-tech Enterprise of the National Torch Project and was publicly listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2011 under the ticker 002626. With over 1,500 employees, KDW is one of the first high-tech enterprises in Xiamen, China.  KDW is a fully integrated global nutrition company. KDW currently provides Coenzyme Q10, Microalgea DHA, ARA, Vitamin A, Vitamin D3 and Beta-Carotene, with many more products in a well-established research and development process. KDW has retail stores in Singapore, sales outlets throughout Southeast Asia, a joint venture in Japan and wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States, including Vit-Best Nutrition, a contract manufacturer of nutritional supplements and, with this most recent acquisition, Doctor's Best. 

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/north-castle-partners-sells-doctors-best-inc-300284800.html

My DXA Scan on August 4, 2016

My scores improved, but I am still in the osteopenia range. Therefore, I will keep taking 680 mg strontium per day from strontium citrate, along with my other supplements. Here are my results:

Spine: Total BMD of the spine (L1-4) is 0.897 g/cm2, with a T-score of -1.4.

Left Femoral Neck: BMD is 0.729 g/cm2, with a T-score of -1.1.

Left Total Hip: BMD is 0.812 g/cm2, with a T-score of -1.1.

Compared to the prior study (August 21, 2013), there was a 3% increase in BMD of the lumbar spine and a 5% increase in BMD of the left total hip.

My lumbar spine T-scores have always been worse than my left total hip T-scores.

 

My lumbar spine T-scores went from -3.0 (osteoporosis) in May 2007 to -2.7 (still osteoporosis but better) in July 2009 to -1.6 (osteopenia) in August 2013 to -1.4 (osteopenia) in August 2016.

Strontium Interaction with Calcium and Food and Antacids

Most of us taking strontium know that for maximum absorption strontium must be taken at least two hours away from calcium supplements and dairy foods. Actually, strontium is best absorbed on an empty stomach, defined as at least two hours after eating. Food, milk and derivative products, and medicinal products containing calcium may reduce the bioavailability of strontium by about 60-70%.

Many are unaware that antacids should be taken at least two hours AFTER strontium. A study has shown that taking antacids containing magnesium hydroxide or aluminum hydroxide either together with strontium or two hours before strontium causes a 20-25% decrease in strontium absorption.

Here is a direct quote from Servier’s Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for Protelos (strontium ranelate):

“An in vivo clinical interaction study showed that the administration of aluminium and magnesium hydroxides either two hours before or together with strontium ranelate caused a slight decrease in the absorption of strontium ranelate (20-25% AUC decrease), while absorption was almost unaffected when the antacid was given two hours after strontium ranelate. It is therefore preferable to take antacids at least two hours after Protelos. However, when this dosing regimen is impractical due to the recommended administration of Protelos at bedtime, concomitant intake remains acceptable.”

http://www.servier.com/sites/default/files/SmPCProtelos062014.pdf

Strontium for Knee Osteoarthritis

“Preliminary research suggests that strontium may also benefit arthritic joints by stimulating cartilage formation, among other possible mechanisms. In a large study in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases in 2013, people with knee osteoarthritis took strontium ranelate (1 or 2 grams a day) or a placebo for three years. Both strontium groups showed less joint space narrowing on X-rays (indicating slower disease progression) than the placebo group. The higher-dose group also had improvements in knee pain and physical functioning.”

Below is an edited abstract:

Background Strontium ranelate is currently used for osteoporosis. The international, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Strontium ranelate Efficacy in Knee OsteoarthrItis triAl evaluated its effect on radiological progression of knee osteoarthritis.

Methods Patients with knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren and Lawrence grade 2 or 3, and joint space width (JSW) 2.5–5 mm) were randomly allocated to strontium ranelate 1 g/day (n=558), 2 g/day (n=566) or placebo (n=559). The primary endpoint was radiographical change in JSW (medial tibiofemoral compartment) over 3 years versus placebo. Secondary endpoints included radiological progression, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, and knee pain. The trial is registered (ISRCTN41323372).

Results The intention-to-treat population included 1371 patients. Treatment with strontium ranelate was associated with smaller degradations in JSW than placebo (1 g/day: −0.23 mm; 2 g/day: −0.27 mm; placebo: −0.37 mm); treatment-placebo differences were 0.14 for 1 g/day and 0.10 for 2 g/day. Fewer radiological progressors were observed with strontium ranelate for 1 and 2 g/day. There were greater reductions in total WOMAC score, pain subscore, physical function subscore and knee pain with strontium ranelate 2 g/day. Strontium ranelate was well tolerated.

Conclusions Treatment with strontium ranelate 1 and 2 g/day is associated with a significant effect on structure in patients with knee osteoarthritis, and a beneficial effect on symptoms for strontium ranelate 2 g/day.

http://www.berkeleywellness.com/supplements/minerals/article/new-supplement-old-bones

My Progress with Strontium Citrate

I’ve been taking Doctor’s Best Strontium Bone Maker (680 mg strontium) once daily since January 2008. That’s eight years of taking strontium continuously. My back is stronger than it’s been in years. This morning I did yard work—pulling up oak seedlings and weeds and burying a cable that keeps being uncovered by the rain. I bent over numerous times with no pain. I should have taken a work bench and not bent over, but, sometimes I forget to avoid forward bending because I feel well. I’ve had no fractures, although I keep getting older. My BMD has continued to improve. I love strontium citrate!

My lumbar spine T-scores went from -3.0 (osteoporosis) in May 2007 to -2.7 (still osteoporosis but better) in July 2009 to -1.6 (osteopenia) in August 2013. I documented my scores on this blog:

http://strontiumforbones.blogspot.com/

https://www.blogger.com/profile/10034636499792659801

http://strontiumforbones.blogspot.com/2009/07/improved-t-scores-after-treatment.html

http://strontiumforbones.blogspot.com/2013/09/from-osteoporosis-to-osteopenia-with.html

I have orders for another DXA scan this year (2016). I haven’t made an appointment yet. I’m hoping for normal (-1.0 and above) T-scores this time. I’ll keep you posted.