Strontium demystified

[Julieanne]

An Introduction to Strontium
Vivienne Goldschmidt MA
no date

Strontium is an element abundantly found in mineral compounds which has many uses in the metal industry. It is also utilized in medical imaging equipment, pyrotechnics, optics, and pottery glazes. One of the most notorious strontium isotopes is strontium-90, a highly radioactive component of nuclear fallout. Discovered in 1808 in the Scottish town Strontian – hence its name – it is only recently that strontium has come into the limelight as a bone health supplement and drug.

Because strontium is a highly reactive element, it is never found in a pure form in nature. Likewise, the most common over-the-counter supplements are chemically bound to different molecules, such as citrate, lactate, carbonate, and gluconate. Strontium ranelate is a prescription drug where the ranelate molecule is a patentable synthetic chemical. More on this later.

First, I’d like to address the concerns of those of you who are aware that I don’t recommend strontium supplementation and wonder about the strontium that’s included in some of the organic calcium formulas that I do like.

http://saveourbones.com/strontium-demistyfied/

[Reesacat]

Thank you Julieanne for an excellent article-I didn't know about the side effects of too much strontium. This was a very good bit from the article:

" So while strontium hardens bones it also alters their tensile strength actually making them more prone to fracture. Also, as studies reveal, strontium mainly thickens the outer cortical bone and bones with a thicker (less tensile strength) outer cortex are more prone to breakage or fracture 1."

[Aaltrude]

Good to hear the other side of the story. Thanks Julieanne.

[mellowsong]

Thanks Julieanne! This is fascinating. Basically what this is saying is that the bone excess strontium might build is defective just like the bone built with biphosphonates. Definitely great information!

[Aaltrude]

Basically what this is saying is that the bone excess strontium might build is defective just like the bone built with biphosphonates.
...and likewise bone build up with calcium only without being balanced by other minerals necessary for bone health.

[Julieanne]

A specialist prescribed strontium (Protos) for my osteoporosis, as it had just become available. It was also cheap, as I am on a pension. But it was loaded with aspartame, really sickly sweet. My complaint fell on deaf ears. So I bought strontium citrate from iherb, which wasn't expensive anyway. Now questioning the wisdom of taking it at all, after reading V Goldschmidt's advice.

Why put aspartame in an adult's medication at all?

[Katee]

Why put aspartame in an adult's medication at all?

My off the top of the head reply, early in the AM here, would probably sound like a conspiracy rant.

I do believe there is a group that wants to keep us ill and dependent on conventional medicine. But more likely they simply use it as a filler. It is cheap, and sweet, and easily obtainable.

I have not found a single chewing gum in a conventional store that does not contain aspartame. Even the old standbys from my youth - Dentyne and Juicy Fruit contain aspartame as well as other sugars. That wasn't in there when i was a kid.

Fortunately, my health food store carries one with Xylitol that is good, tho it costs more.

[Reesacat]

You have to watch children's medications, also. They put aspartame/sucralose in everything.

[Islander]

I just got around to reading the strontium article, and then clicked the link that took me to her "Save our Bones" program. I know I've dropped a couple of inches in height (5'6" to 5'5" to 5'4") which suggests to me that the ten-year-old bone density scan that said I had "bones like bricks" is no longer true. I'm due to have another one soon. I'd like to know what her recommendation for supplementation is, but the $67 package contains lots of material I already know, and I haven't the $67 anyway. We don't have an osteoporosis forum (maybe we should) but I'd like to hear what your recommendations are. Mine, off the top of my head, include [a modest amount of] calcium, magnesium, vitamins D3 and K2. These are the major ones; minor ones include silica, copper, boron and manganese. Weight-bearing exercise also helps strengthen bones.

Now, can someone save me $67 by confirming the above, adding to it, correcting it..in other words, what recommendations do you have?

[mellowsong]

Mine, off the top of my head, include [a modest amount of] calcium, magnesium, vitamins D3 and K2. These are the major ones; minor ones include silica, copper, boron and manganese. Weight-bearing exercise also helps strengthen bones.
Now, can someone save me $67 by confirming the above, adding to it, correcting it..in other words, what recommendations do you have?

Most loss of height comes from the loss of disc space between the vertebrae. Some of it can be related to posture and loss of muscle mass also. You are right on with your major and minor players. The calcium and magnesium must be absorbable. Avoid any supplements ending in oxide or carbonate as these are inorganic salts and not well absorbed. Also, avoid dolomite and bone meal sources as these are often contaminated with heavy metals. Best source of calcium is from raw milk. Pasteurization destroys phosphatase, an enzyme needed for calcium absorption. Although opinions vary, my conclusion is that calcium to magnesium ratio should be 1:2.

I reversed osteoporosis over 2 years with daily raw milk kefir, lots of magnesium and Vitamin D3. K2 is imperative and if you aren't eating a lot of lacto-fermented foods, you should supplement.

[Reesacat]

Here is the link to SayerJi's excellent video presentation on Mercola about the misleading information in bone density scans and x-ray mammography:
http://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2011/06/03/the-shocking-truth-about-bone-scans--breast-screenings.aspx

He makes a good point-comparing bones of a 70 year old woman to the 'norm'-a 25 year old woman-just sets up a market for bone drugs. Good science would compare the bones of 70 year old women to healthy 70 year old women's bones.

[Islander]

Thanks, Mellowsong. I contend that I get sufficient calcium from the many leafy greens I eat as well as some cheese almost daily — smoky cheese in salads, cottage cheese with chives, some form almost daily — and I don't care for fluid milk or kefir. A recent article I posted here claimed that 700 mg/day was probably enough calcium for menopausal women and that too much can lead to problems, lke calcium deposits in places where you would prefer nt to have them. And Alice Wessendorf and another nutritionist, Nan Fuchs I think, both strongly recommended a mg:ca ratio of 2:1 for women. I take enough daily to keep my stool soft and use that as an indicator.

I'm glad to hear you refer to the loss of disc space between the vertebrae, because I have a hypothesis that carrying in heavy loads of wood several times a day for 9 months of the year has compressed my spine. Call me crazy...but I wish there were a way to hang upside down for 10 minutes daily to offset the compression caused by carrying heavy loads!

[mellowsong]

Thanks, Mellowsong. I contend that I get sufficient calcium from the many leafy greens I eat as well as some cheese almost daily — smoky cheese in salads, cottage cheese with chives, some form almost daily — and I don't care for fluid milk or kefir.
Call me crazy...but I wish there were a way to hang upside down for 10 minutes daily to offset the compression caused by carrying heavy loads!

I totally agree with everything you said, especially about current calcium recommendations being too high. I just mentioned supplements if someone was taking them. BTW there are contraptions where you CAN hang upside down. They are called inversion tables. https://www.teetertv.com/?x=baa

[Reesacat]

I have an inversion table-I think it has kept my curved spine from getting worse.

[Islander]

Oh man, that looks like JUST what I need. It's so far beyond my budget, it might as well be on Mars!

[Reesacat]

They are being sold on the home shopping channels and TV-have been for some years.
You could keep an eye out for second hand-it's a top-notch piece of equipment.
Who knows what The Universe has in storage for you;-)....

[Julieanne]

'calcium, magnesium, vitamins D3 and K2. These are the major ones; minor ones include silica, copper, boron and manganese. '
Those supps are pretty well what I take Islander. I have just added boron, and ordered copper. ( I take N-acetyl cysteine and I'm told this depletes copper). Silica I'm not so sure about, as I took it for several months, but my hair and nails didn't improve, so I assumed it wasn't getting to my bones either. I could well be wrong, so someone please tell me either way.

An osteoporosis forum would be a good idea - I was surprised there wasn't one.

Mellow, did you get a scan to show you had reversed osteo? How did you know?

[bmc65]

I'm putting in my vote for a osteoporosis forum. Thanks for the FYI Julieanne and Mellow. I think my bones are okay so far, but my hubby-type has shrunk and I worry about what is going on with him.

[mellowsong]

Mellow, did you get a scan to show you had reversed osteo? How did you know?
Yes, I had a dexa scan. I realize it does expose you to radiation and you are at risk earlier than the numbers indicate, however, I am on steroids for life for adrenal insufficiency and frequent high dose steroids for asthma and had known fairly severe osteoporosis of the spine and moderate of the hip. I also had a history of frequent stress fractures in my right foot due to osteoporosis but hadn't had any in over a year. Last year, I went ahead and had another scan (had been 2 years since previous) because I really wanted to see if diet and supplements were doing anything. I was only on biphosphonates for a few weeks because I absolutely could not tolerate them (of course that was way before I knew better, lol). Anyway, the scan I had in April 2010 showed hip had improved from moderate osteoporosis to "normal" (I only have 1 hip they can measure, other has been replaced) and spine from severe osteoporosis to osteopenia. I consider this a major victory. The endo was extremely surprised and took notes on exactly what I had been doing. He raised his eyebrows at the raw milk kefir but held his tongue, lol.

[Reesacat]

Way to go, Mellow!
If it wouldn't be too much trouble an osteoporosis forum would be good.
There is a lot of mis-information on bone health out there from conventional Pharma pushing bone density scans and bone drugs.



It's me, Islander, creeping into her post to say, It's done!

[Julieanne]

I had a look at the articles on greenmedinfo re strontium. All seem to be in favour, so I sent him the saveourbones link asking for his comments. I know he is really busy, so could be a while till he gets back to me.