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Thursday, December 16, 2010

STRONTIUM AND OSTEOPOROSIS


Overview:

When it comes to osteoporosis the public has been fooled over the years to think dairy consumption is the answer to building and keeping healthy bone.   The fact is North American’s have the highest consumption of dairy products along with the highest rate of Osteoporosis. We also have the highest consumption of meat.  In countries where dairy and meat are rarely consumed, they have the lowest rates of Osteoporosis.  How can this be?  Well for one thing, dairy is not the most bioavailable form of calcium.  Our bodies can obtain calcium far easier from a plant-based diet.  Also, meat is acidic, so when we consume large amounts of meat, calcium is often leached from our bones in an attempt to alkalinize it.   

Age is also another factor that affects the balance of tearing down and the rebuilding of bone.  Normally old bones are torn down and reabsorbed by cells called osteoclasts while osteoblasts build new bone tissue to replace it.  When we age, this balance is disrupted, especially for women during menopause due to the reduction of estrogen which can slow down the tearing and building process.  What does this mean?  The bone quality is lacking causing brittle bones. 

To help with underlying causes of low bone mass and quality, there needs to be a component that not only slows bone resorption, but has the ability to create new bone as well.  That’s where Strontium comes to the rescue.  This wonderful trace mineral is a vital component of the skeletal system and where 99% of this mineral is found.  New research confirms that Strontium not only slows down the breakdown of existing bone, but it boosts the body’s ability to build new bone as it causes an increase in the area covered by bone building osteoblasts, and decreases the number of bone dissolving osteoclasts in bone tissue, and the amount of surface they occupy. 

A study was conducted where 1649 postmenopausal osteoporosis women were divided in two groups.  One group took a placebo with calcium and vitamin D3, and the other group took 680 milligrams of elemental strontium for 3 years along with calcium and D3.  The results were amazing!  The placebo group unfortunately lost 1.3% of their lower spinal bone, but the group receiving Strontium and D3 & Calcium increased their bone mass by 14.4%!  To put this in perspective, Fosamax one of the most powerful osteoporosis drugs, increased the body mass index no more than 5.5% even combined with other therapies.

Supplementation:


Strontium is not effective without Calcium but they cannot be taken at the same time because Strontium and Calcium use the same pathways for absorption in the intestinal tract.  So taking these two minerals at the same time would reduce absorption.  Strontium can however be taken with vitamin D3. 

The recommended dosage for Strontium per day is 600-700 milligrams.  Strontium should be taken either
1-hour before breakfast or 3 hours after your last meal

The recommended dosage for Calcium per day (including diet) is 1000 milligrams for young adults, and 1200 milligrams for people over the age of 50.  Some evidence even suggests 1300-1600 milligrams of Calcium to lower the fracture risk in the elderly.

Until recently, the drug companies only help for osteoporotic women and others with bone health concerns, were drugs that slow down the resorption of bone, but they did not create new bone tissue, and these drugs had their share of side effects.  Strontium on the other hand, is part of our genetic makeup, and research has shown it has powerful bone structure and function properties with no side effects.  So when it comes to bone health, Strontium is definitely an important mineral to consider.

Susan J Morton
Second Chance Nutrition
905 995-4791
 





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