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.