Low plasma Vitamin K1 is associated with high incidence of spinal fracture in Japanese women

Scientists at Kobe Pharmaceutical University in Japan note it has been reported that vitamin K supplementation effectively prevents fractures and maintains bone mineral density in people treated for osteoporosis. The objectives were to evaluate the association between plasma K1 or K2 as MK-4 and MK-7 concentration and bone health or fracture in Japanese women. A total of 379 healthy women aged 30-88 years (average age of 63) were consecutively enrolled. Plasma K1, MK-4, MK-7, BMD (bone mineral density) and incidence of vertebral fractures of the spine were evaluated. A low level of Vitamin K1was independently correlated with vertebral (spinal) fracture incidence. When subjects were divided into low and high K1 groups by plasma K1 concentration, the incidence of vertebral fracture in the low K1 group (14.4%) was significantly higher than that in the high K1 group (4.2%),. Those with a low level of Vitamin K1 had a 358% increased risk of fracturing their spine and this is independent of osteoporosis. The study is published online ahead of print in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism.

Vitamin K1 intake is associated with higher bone mineral density and reduced bone resorption in early postmenopausal Scottish women

Researchers measured bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN; this is where the hip fractures) in a cohort of Scottish women aged 49–54 years in 1990–1994 (baseline) and in 1997–2000 (visit 2). Women with the lowest 25% of Vitamin K intake had lower BMD especially at the FN after adjustment for age, weight, height, menopausal status or use of hormone replacement therapy, socioeconomic status, and physical activity. The study is published in the May 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Strontium reduces back pain in women with arthritis of the spine

The mineral Strontium may reduce back pain in women with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis (OA) of the spine, according to this newly published study. The compound may also delay worsening arthritis of the spine.
Strontium has a compound effect on bone and it stimulates bone formation while inhibiting bone resorption whereas drugs either accomplish one activity or the other usually the latter.
Dr. Olivier Bruyere from University of Liege, Belgium and colleagues explain their findings "Strontium ranelate may have symptom- and structure-modifying effects in women with osteoporosis and OA."
The investigators reviewed the effects of 3 years' treatment with Strontium ranelate on the clinical and structural progression of spinal OA in 1105 women. As participants in the Spinal Osteoporosis Therapeutic Intervention and Treatment of Peripheral Osteoporosis trials, 566 women had received Strontium ranelate and 539 had received placebo.
The researchers found that the proportion of women with worsening overall spinal OA score was reduced by 42 percent in the Strontium ranelate group relative to the placebo group.
In addition, significantly more women in the Strontium ranelate group saw improvement in back pain after 3 years compared with placebo.
"This study has implications not only in the potential treatment of chronic back pain, but also for progression of OA at other sites," the researchers conclude.
Strontium is indicated for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and has been shown to reduce the risk of fractures the researchers note. They point out that Strontium is also being studied in patients with OA of the knee. The study is published in the March 2008 issue of the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

The mineral Strontium is very important for rebuilding stronger bones

The mineral Strontium as ranelate is a popular treatment for osteoporosis in Europe with many human clinical trials supporting its success. In the US the well absorbed version Strontium Citrate is the form of choice. Many drugs used to treat osteoporosis either decrease the breakdown of bone by inhibiting the bone resorption cells known as osteoclasts, or by speeding up the rebuilding of bone by improving the function of the bone building cells known as osteoblasts. Strontium, a simple mineral has both activities. It slows down bone resorbing cells while improving the activity of bone building cells; a win-win situation.
In this study various research institutions throughout Northern Europe placed women on Strontium for 3 years. At the end of 3 years Strontium had successfully improved the strength of bone in the hip and spine. There was a reduction in the risk of spinal fracture. The study is published in the June 12th 2007 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Strontium reduces the risk of fractures of the spine, hip and other bones in postmenopausal women, even in those over the age of 80

Fractures commonly occur in the spine or hip and these are very crucial sites for bone health. However, at least half of the morbidity (associated sickness) or mortality (cause of death) caused by fractures will occur at other sites. The highest risk group for fractures is individuals over 80 years of age.
In the phase III Spinal Osteoporosis Therapeutic Intervention Study of 1649 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, 2 grams of Strontium ranelate a day decreased the risk of a vertebral fracture of the spine by 45% in the first year, and the success was continuous with a 41% decrease over 3 years.
In the Treatment of Osteoporosis Study of 5091 patients the risk of spinal fracture also dropped by 45% within one year and 39% over 3 years.
In pooling the results of both studies, in 1170 patients with osteopenia of the spine patients Strontium reduced the risk of vertebral fractures by 40% over 3 years.
In the 409 patients with osteopenia in the lumbar region of the spine or the femur neck, where the hip fractures strontium actually reduced the risk of vertebral spinal fractures by 62% over 3 years.
In patients over the age of 80 Strontium may be the only agent that successfully builds bone and decreases the risk of fracture. In the pooled results of both trials Strontium strongly reduced the risk of spinal fractures in the 1488 women participants between the ages of 80 to 100. The reduction in risk of spinal fractures was 59% in the first year and 32% over 3 years for this age group.
In a third major study, the Treatment of Peripheral Osteoporosis Study, treatment with Strontium reduced the risk of major fractures due to fragility by almost 20%; something very difficult to achieve. In 1977 women at high risk for suffering with a hip fracture, all 74 years of age or older with a femoral neck bone mineral density T-score of less than or equal to 2.4, Strontium reduced the risk of a broken hip by 36%. In women between the ages of 80 to 100 Strontium reduced the risk of non-vertebral fractures by 41% in the first year and 31% over 3 years. The mineral Strontium inhibits fractures throughout the body and also in the spine or hip. The review of these major supportive studies was performed by scientists at the University of Melbourne in Australia, and is published in the June 2006 issue of the journal Current Opinion in Rheumatology.