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Help with Strontium Citrate dosing

SueI
0 Recommendations

I've decided to take Strontium Citrate for my osteoporosis and would like help in the dosing, for prescription drugs I take only the lowest dose of Activella hormone. And non prescription I take a multivitamin and Oscal with Vitamin D three times daily, plus one fish oil cap. Also, I read some where about the Bone density machines and Strontium, do I need to notify my tech when I have the bone density?? And, am I right in that Ranelate just means that is the prescription i.e. European Strontium, which is not available to the US? Thanks so much, Sue

Explore topics in this discussion:

Arthritis Boniva Falls Fosamax Osteopenia Actonel Pain Prednisone Osteoporosis Folic acid

24 replies

cindelight

Hello,
I just started taking the strontium a few months ago for my osteo. I was told to take 680 mg. by my doc away from calcium (like 2 hours between). I have been finding, however, that I think my stomach doesn't feel really well after the dose. I do take it with food and I just tried splitting the dose yesterday. I still have to experiment. Still way too early to take a DEXA scan. And, yes, I also read that you have to notify the tech that you are on strontium so that they can recalculate the machine.

SueI

Cindelight, So sorry you're having stomach trouble with the Strontium. Hope it goes away!! I read back to several messages about Strontium. I've decided to take my first thing in the morning 5:30 a.m., I then eat breakfast at about 7:15 and then take another at bed time, I am unsure about taking two strontium at the same time so one in the morning one at night. I then try to space my three (Oscal) calcium with D3 between 9 a.m and 5p.m. I have my next Dexa in July and will call a month or two ahead to find out if I should quit taking it for a month. Here's hoping for a good result!! What brand Strontium are you taking? I also read that its better to make sure none of the ingredients are from China. I emailed the company, but they said I need to call their 800 number for an answer.

April995

I started taking "Doctors Best " Strontium Bone Maker (bottle says that) about 2 weeks ago.

I have had a Ulcer for over 40 years. I just had a scoping done and the Ulcer is gone. The Strontium is not bothering my stomach at all.

When I first started taking Strontium, I was scared it would up set my stomach. For the 1st three days, I only took one aday in the morning, then I started taking two aday (morning) at the same time as it says to do on my bottle. 680 Mg.
I was told you need to take the full dose at one time to help your bones!
Boniva made me sick for two weeks.

I also take two different types of Calcium, 4000iu of D-3 aday. Mag, and allot of other vitimins.

I do not know if Strontium is doing me any good, as I'm not due for another year for a bone scan.
I took a long walk today, and now both my hips are hurting me!
I have no idea if this is from the Strontium doing good! , or its just a coincidence, or its arthritis!!

I did talk to a tec that does the bone scans. When I mentioned I was taking Strontium, and I thought the test had to be changed abit for it, he knew nothing about It or Strontium !! This is from the Top Endro office in my area in California.
He also said, you cannot change the machine to acommate anything!
I think I'm going to be calling back and talk to someone else ...

Has anyone talked to a Tec that takes the bone scans about changing anything to accomadate for Strontium? Or I'm not sure if I have to stop taking it for one month before the scan, or is it longer?

Take Care,
April

nornd

Hi April995, I just read your entry about strontium. I too am taking it, just started in January. I take two about two and a half hours after dinner at bedtime. I read somewhere that the DEXA scan doesn't have to be adjusted for an accurate reading at all. I haven't had a scan for ages and plan to have one at the end of this year. So it will be very interesting to see whether our bones have improved. I notice you are taking 4000iu of Vit D. I take 2000iu as I heard that was the upper level you could take. Are you taking any Vit K1 and 2? Good luck from me in New Zealand.

JOT

For US manufactured Strontium Citrate see:
www.Vitacost.com
or
www.doctorsbest.com.
Both are reliable providers.

As we have painfully learned..proceed with caution on any Chinese manufacturer.

Also, FYI- there is a 5/2008 report that Strontium Malonate was accepted by FDA for testing prior to approval.
www.muscularskeletalreport.com/articles.cfm
Osteologix S101

From what I have read, Malonate, Citrate, Renalate are all 'salts' that can be added to the essential Strontium (Sr.).

Sr.-Renalate, however, is a synthetic version created for the European market (and Japan) and is known as 'Protelos'.
Aspartame is added to that drug formula. I read that it is dispensed as a crystal powder needing to be added to water for ingesting which may be why the sweetner is added.
Protelos, (which cannot be dispensed here in the States) from early studies, was said to have some side effect danger re: blood clots. However, in one report, it was later found that the early study was imbalanced in the study 'arm' group between those who had a history of thromboembolism and those that did not.
www.medpagetoday.com/
Edocrinology/Osteoporosis
WCO: "Protelos: Bone Benefit Continues up to Five Years"
Article by Mike Smith; reviewed by Israni, MD.

Strontium Citrate, so far, has no serious side effects at the daily dosage suggested (680mg.)

I too, am taking Strontium Citrate for Osteopenia (so it will not progress while I am on Prednisone) and have had no ill effects. Every one is different, for sure.
It will be interesting to see reports on our next DEXA scans.

To re-iterate, yes, we need to let the techs know that we have been on Strontium. so they can re-calibrate the scan mechanisms (sic?) for accurate results.

My best to all.

JOT

Regarding the DEXA re-calibration for patients on Strontium: information is conflicting.
I have somewhere in my files, a very technical document for the techs regarding Strontium adjustments on DEXA machines.
I recall reading that unless it is done, it will show a false density.
I do not know how old it is..meaning that the new DEXA machine instrumentation for scanning may no longer require that adjustment.
I will 'google' it and see what I come up with.

Also, I have read that Strontium takes 10 weeks to leave one's system (as against, for example, 10 years in bones. for Fosamax). That would mean a 2.5 months Sr. stoppage prior to the next scan.
I hope that is not necessary for any of us to do.
Stay tuned.
Joann

JOT

nornd.. How I love New Zealand.. As a family, we spent 6 months camping there in North and South Island...many years ago now.

I also take
2000mg. of D-3 and
100 mcg. of K1 (not K2 as yet) 1000mg of Calcium (in two separate tablets @ 500mg/ea..;
500mg. of Magnesium Also Evening Primrose for Omega 6
Fish oil for Omega 3 (EPA, DHA)
500 mcg. Biotin and
400 mcg Folic Acid ...
....by then I have to run to the loo!

..and there is more that could do me some good.

Good grief as Charlie Brown would say!

SueI

Hi all, I didn't last to long on the Strontium, and I hope to get back to it, I had a couple of bad headaches which got me off track, and then I was diagnosed with a Meningioma brain tumor, a benign, slow growing tumor, unfortunately or fortunately I don't know, it is in a bad place to operate and stereotactic radiosurgery (massive dose of radiation) is reccomended, but that's got me scared too, the after effects, brain swelling can happen whenever. Anyway, I've been way laid and I guess I'll just see what my bone density says in July. Don't like this aging AT ALL!!!! Sue

JOT

Yes, Strontium Ranelate is a synthetic RX and is called 'Protelos' in Europe and Japan. It is not yet dispensed here in the States.
See other discussion here on it and other information on Strontium.

Overall, Strontium + is a promising option to Biphosphonate (Actonel, Fosamax, Boniva et al) side effects which have wreaked havoc on many patients.

My best to you.
Joann

JOT

Oh gosh, Sue.. I am so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis.. it kind of changes priorities.
Glad the tumor is benign.. and hopefully the MDs can shrink it for good with radiation.

I am praying and thinking of you for your best health.. Blessings.
Joann

zeta

Hi JOT,

Just to clarify something. Citrate, ranelate, and malonate are NOT themselves salts that are added to strontium to produce, respectively, strontium citrate, strontium ranelate, and strontium malonate. Rather, these themselves are strontium salts that are created by combining strontium with citric acid, ranelic acid, and malic acid. You are conflating the compound produced with one of the producing substances.

It can be confusing , but hope this helps.

zet

nornd

JOT, interesting to hear you camped around NZ, it is very beautiful, especially now being autumn.
Thanks for the informative discussion and I wish us all the best on our strontium regimes! Let's compare DEXA results this time next year.

JOT

Yes, thank you, zet.. I did not understand that from what I read that referred to them (Citrate, Malonate, Ranelate) as 'salts - implication was, I thought, 'added salts'.
Good clarification.

JOT

Zeta: If you know..
How do the various combinations of Strontium differ as they become Sr-Malonate, Ranelate and Citrate and what is the bio-chemical affect of one over the other?
Not sure my question is stated well here..but, I wonder, for ex. why 'Protelos' is combined with ranelaic (sic) acid and Strontium Malonate (Malic) is the choice now for trials towards FDA acceptance in the US.
To complicate it further, yet another form: Sr. Citrate can be bought over the counter.
Does the combining with various acids change its effectiveness or is one combination absorbed into the body better than another.
That part IS confusing.

Many thanks again for your input.

Joann

zeta

Good question JOT!

First, and probably foremost, strontium ranelate and strontium malonate are not free occurring chemical compounds. Hence, they can be patented as drugs and, hence, the drug companies can make money off them. There's little money in strontium citrate. Cynical, perhaps, but I'm guessing it's the truth.

Second, there may be increased bio-availabiliy in strontium ranelate or strontium malonate. But I suspect that this will be quite minor. For what it's worth, the University of California Davis study on strontium citrate should provide something of an answer to this second point. Also the UC people are doing this precisely because it might make a cheap and effective compound, already available online , OTC , a therapy that would get an *official* stamp of approval, and hence become a mainline treatment (this is in effect what one of the main researchers told me) for osteoporosis. By my lights that would be terrific, to reduce the dependency on drugs with numerous side effects, eg, bisphosphonates.

Keep on posting--nice work!

zeta

Gatekeeper

After a suggestion here I started taking my strontium during my first hot flash of the night, about 2am. I'm a grazer so no time really when I have an empty tummy during the day. If it bothers my tummy I sleep thru it. I also like a soy mocha in the AM, but I take armour thyroid. Decided hmmm, so take my thyroid at my 5am hot flash (actually they're not that regular, some nights worst, but most nights around those general times) so now I can have my soy mocha by the time I get to work. ;-) ~ JJ

JOT

Zeta... interesting information on Strontium (Sr.) variations and particularly Sr.-Citrate OTC...
You and I have been speaking as 'friends' here so some of this is a repetative.

I hope your information will be received and at least considered by all those who are struggling with BiPhosphonates RX.

My Rheum. MD said he did not know (?) about Strontium Citrate so at the next visit, I left him with some printouts on its basics, its recommended dosage, its verifiable studies and its many positive results.

While there are some qualifications on taking Sr., at the recommended dosage, I read that there are no known serious side effects. With any drug or medicine, that can remain a long term and open question..however, compared to other potent drugs for osteo problems, its is thus far, uniquely safe.

I realize that until Strontium (in some form) is accepted by the USA mainstream medical community as an equal RX option for bone density support, it will remain a David/Goliath challenge.

Thankfully, Sr. is working towards that acceptance through a recent FDA announcement that Strontium Malonate is in phased studies.
There is a lot more to be shared on Strontium, if anyone wants to continue on-line research.

Here is to our best health..

Joann

osteochick

What is biotin and does it effect the bones?

JOT

Hi Osteochick (love that)
If you google Biotin there is a lot there. Basically, it is also knowns Vit H. and is one of the B vitamins good for the health of hair, skin and nails. If you take multi B's, it is normally included.
Not sure it has an action directly on bones but it does support the immune system.
I am new to its technical and bio- details.

JOT

DBM

From my research, Sr Ranelate is patented by a French pharma company, Servier. Thier research claims that not only is the bone density improved but also the strength of the trabacular network and the quality of bone (as found through biopsies) is good.
Side effects are few and mild such as stomach and headaches and go away within 3 months.
This much I know from my chemistry classes that Sr falls below CA in the periodic table, meaning it is much like CA but has a higher molecular weight. This means that if Sr is filling the spaces in the network instead of CA the bone will be heavier and any measure of bone density will appear higher. Does the heavier bone mean a stronger bone? Does using Sr fill more spaces within the trabacular network than CA alone? If so, it will build a stronger bone along with a heavier bone. Otherwise, it is just deceptive. Anyone have any idea of research thaat addresses this?

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