A one-year study
on strontium citrate combined with melatonin and other supplements and named
the Melatonin-micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment Study (MOTS) was recently
published (January 26, 2017). I’d like to compare it to the Combination of
Micronutrients for Bone (COMB) Study published in 2012. See the following
chart:
COMB Study MOTS
Study size 114 20
Baseline BMD status osteoporosis osteopenia
Strontium (citrate) 680 mg 450
mg
Vitamin K2 (MK7) 100 mcg 60 mcg
Melatonin none 5 mg
Vitamin D3 2000 IU
2000 IU
Docosahexanoic acid (DHA) 250 mg none
Magnesium 25 mg none
Lumbar spine BMD 6% increase 4.3% increase
Femoral neck BMD 4%
increase 2.2% increase
Total hip BMD 3% increase No
sign. diff., pos. trend
I could have predicted the results on BMD. How?
Well, it had previously been shown, from studies on strontium ranelate, that strontium
increased BMD at all dosages studied, but the optimum increases were gained
with 680 mg strontium. Also, melatonin has been used for years as a sleep aid,
but there is little evidence for it as a bone supplement. The authors of MOTS named
two studies on melatonin listed below.
“Limitations to this study
include low number of subjects, lack of a diverse cohort and lack of different micronutrient
combinations on primary and secondary endpoints in MOTS clinical trial.”
Despite the limitations of MOTS,
there is valuable information to be gained from it:
MOTS increased awareness of the
importance of preventative care in patients with osteopenia. “Over half of all women in the U.S. above age 50 have osteopenia
with a prevalence of approximately 3.4 times more than osteoporosis. Consequently,
twice the number of fractures arises from women with osteopenia as they
represent almost 50% of the total population at risk.”
“The 10-year vertebral fracture
risk probability decreased by 6.48% in response to MSDK (melatonin, strontium,
vitamins D and K) therapy compared to 10.8% increase in placebo.”
“MSDK reduced bone marker
turnover primarily by increasing the bone formation marker P1NP and maintaining
healthy bone turnover.”
“MSDK demonstrated positive effects
on inflammatory status and improved quality of life especially related to
sleep.”
MOTS confirmed that dosages lower
than 680 mg strontium will increase BMD by lower percentages.
Kotlarczyk MP, Lassila HC, O’Neil
CK, D’Amico F, Enderby LT, Witt‐Enderby PA, Balk
JL. Melatonin osteoporosis prevention study (MOPS): a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study examining the
effects of melatonin on bone health and quality of life in perimenopausal
women. J Pineal Res. 2012; 52:414–26. doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐079X.2011.00956.x
Amstrup AK, Sikjaer T,
Heickendorff L, Mosekilde L, Rejnmark L. Melatonin improves bone mineral density
at the femoral neck in postmenopausal women with osteopenia: a randomized
controlled trial. J Pineal Res. 2015; 59:221–29. doi:10.1111/jpi.12252
