Comments on: Fosamax Linked to Esophageal Cancer http://www.psa-rising.com/blog/2008/12/fosamax-linked-to-esophageal-cancer/ Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:28:00 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Herb S http://www.psa-rising.com/blog/2008/12/fosamax-linked-to-esophageal-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-87 Herb S Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:30:28 +0000 http://www.psa-rising.com/blog/?p=879#comment-87 I would like to suggest an alternative for men (and women) to consider instead of bisphosphonates: Strontium. In the mid 1980s, a Prof. Skornya investigated the use of strontium (Sr) salts for protection of bone density. At that time, BMD testing was not as easy as it is today, but his results did indicate benefits. I am not referring to radioactive strontium 89 used to treat bone mets (but don't forget this sentence), nor am I referring to the radioactive Sr 90 formed during early atomic bomb detonations and ultimately found in milk. I am talking about plain ole Strontium 88, which is very similar to Calcium and, not surprisingly, also ends up in bones. One paragraph in the Skornya paper intrigued me: He tried to assess whether strontium (88) salts also had an effect on bone mets but was unable to draw any conclusion. Fast forward to the current decade. A compound called strontium ranelate is being extensively studied in Europe and is reported to have significant bone density and fracture protection benefits in postmenopausal women. Side effects seem to be very limited. It has one other advantage: it was patentable while other strontium salts are "public domain". Papers on strontium ranelate again suggest that strontium affects osteoclasts (bone removal) and osteoblasts (bone building) in a [beneficial] manner similar to bisphosphonates (and Vitamin K2 - see LEF 01/09, p65). When strontium 89 chloride is used for bone metastases (for pain control, I believe), it is also believed to become part of the bone at the met sites. Putting these ideas together, I decided to try readily available strontium citrate (over the counter!) for bone density--with the remote hope that it might also prevent bone mets. It appears to have worked for my bone density. At this point, without known bone mets, I can't say if it has done anything in that area. Few doctors know anything about strontium, even for bone density; their knowledge is limited to awareness of strontium 89 for pain alleviation. Dr. Strum and a few others are now mentioning otc, non-radioactive strontium salts as alternatives for bone density . I am not recommending this; I am only suggesting you might want to investigate strontium. And, because the data are so limited, I would love to hear anything new you might uncover. I would like to suggest an alternative for men (and women) to consider instead of bisphosphonates: Strontium.

In the mid 1980s, a Prof. Skornya investigated the use of strontium (Sr) salts for protection of bone density. At that time, BMD testing was not as easy as it is today, but his results did indicate benefits.

I am not referring to radioactive strontium 89 used to treat bone mets (but don’t forget this sentence), nor am I referring to the radioactive Sr 90 formed during early atomic bomb detonations and ultimately found in milk. I am talking about plain ole Strontium 88, which is very similar to Calcium and, not surprisingly, also ends up in bones. One paragraph in the Skornya paper intrigued me: He tried to assess whether strontium (88) salts also had an effect on bone mets but was unable to draw any conclusion.

Fast forward to the current decade. A compound called strontium ranelate is being extensively studied in Europe and is reported to have significant bone density and fracture protection benefits in postmenopausal women. Side effects seem to be very limited. It has one other advantage: it was patentable while other strontium salts are “public domain”.

Papers on strontium ranelate again suggest that strontium affects osteoclasts (bone removal) and osteoblasts (bone building) in a [beneficial] manner similar to bisphosphonates (and Vitamin K2 – see LEF 01/09, p65). When strontium 89 chloride is used for bone metastases (for pain control, I believe), it is also believed to become part of the bone at the met sites.

Putting these ideas together, I decided to try readily available strontium citrate (over the counter!) for bone density–with the remote hope that it might also prevent bone mets. It appears to have worked for my bone density. At this point, without known bone mets, I can’t say if it has done anything in that area.

Few doctors know anything about strontium, even for bone density; their knowledge is limited to awareness of strontium 89 for pain alleviation. Dr. Strum and a few others are now mentioning otc, non-radioactive strontium salts as alternatives for bone density .

I am not recommending this; I am only suggesting you might want to investigate strontium. And, because the data are so limited, I would love to hear anything new you might uncover.

]]>