What have SR users decided to take now that it’s no longer available?

Hi Kathleen

SR is Strontium Ranelate, or Protelos. Several of us on the NOS Forum were on this until Servier stopped making it last year.   It was a good NHS alternative to bisphosphanates, if you couldn’t tolerate these.  It had the advantage of stimulating both the osteoblasts and osteoclasts so was kick starting the normal bone turnover process.

 

I originally was given Alendronic acid after falling and breaking both wrists in 2010.  I had to stop taking it due to bone pains and symptoms of a reoccurring gut ulcer.   The Strontium Ranelate on the other hand didn’t cause me any problems.  

I could go back to buying Strontium Citrate supplement,  which I took for a short time before eventually getting prescription Strontium Ranelate.  This also agreed with me,  but I’m cautious about using none regulated supplements, particularly from the internet, as my first line of defence for OP.

I presently take Drs Best Vit D3 from the Internet, but I monitor my blood level so know this brand works.  I take either 2000 IU or 5000 IU depending on my blood level and the season. I aim for an optimal level of between 150 to 170 nmol/L.

The others I cannot monitor unfortunately,   Magnesium bisglycinate,  cod liver oil for A retinol, both from Holland and Barrett.  Life Extention Super K ( 200mcg   mk7 + 1mg Mk4 ) and   Carlson mk4 5mg.

i also buy Swanson’s KoAct ( Ca collagen chelate) from the Internet. I usually manage to get sufficient calcium from my diet, aiming for 1000 to 1200 mg, but I buy the KoAct mainly for the collagen for the bone matrix.  2 capsules only ontain 150 mg of Ca, so it’s not too high.

I’ve altered my long standing vegetarian diet to now include more dairy, especially full fat goat yogurt, tinned Wild Red Salmon with bones and organically raised chicken and eggs, because I found that my previous protein intake was poor when I started monitoring it.    We need quality protein for the bone matrix, which governs our bones strength and flexibility.

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Hi Kathleen

This is a short version of my original reply to youwhich I sent over 8 hrs ago.  Don’t know what’s happened to it.

SR is Strontium Ranelate.  My original t score in 2010 was femur -3.5, spine -2.7 ,  hip -2.5. 

After taking SR for 2yrs the repeat t scores were femur -3.1. Spine -2.0  and hip -2.0.

even though SR can give a false high score, because Strontium is more dense than Ca. Servier who made it said the error can be up to  of the improvement.

 I was still happy with this result. At least it hadn’t got worse.

I haven’t been allowed  further repeat scans, so I have no idea what my present score would be.   

Best wishes

Thanks Lynne. It is good that you are taking the supplements. A good diet and exercise also helps support our bones.

In Australia, we don’t get a result for the femur only the other two. It is good that the spine and hips are only osteopenia now for you now.

I have chosen not to take any of the drugs after much consideration and research. 

All the best

Kathleen.

Thanks Lynne for such a thorough explanation.

I do not think SR is available in Australia as it is never offered or mentioned.

You sound like you are being very proactive with your bone management.

My sister told me recently that she needed to increase her protein as she had lost muscle. She has actually lost a lot of weight and is looking very thin.

You can have too much calcium so I go by my blood tests and don’t take any additionally. I like dairy and am having a very good balanced diet. I do eat meat. We even make sure we have some protein for lunch.

I have always known that protein is needed to absorb nutrients well.

We have the tinned Alaskan salmon too, red sockeye.  Beautiful!

I am not pro the drugs like Anhaga I believe they are counterproductive. Others are free to choose as everyone is their own person.

Whether I change my mind in the future who knows but I suspect there have been insufficient studies to reassure me that they are safe.

I wish I had never found out I had osteoporosis actually and I could be blissfully unaware like so many people I talk to.

Broken bones are another matter and if they are due to osteoporosis then one may just bite the bullet and take the drugs.

All the best.

 

Hi Annmarie   how are you getting on with it?  I still have some Strontium R left, but will have to see my GP at some stage.

i replied to Kathleen about 7 hrs ago and it still hasn’t appeared. Says it’s waiting to be moderated!  Is this usual?

It's a weekend, I think the moderator takes some time off occasionally!

I’m glad you are getting on OK with the AA.  I was given that at first,  but it didn’t agree with me unfortunately with previously having a bleeding gut ulcer.  Several of my friends have been on it years without problems.  I share your concerns regarding Polia, but there again, we all react differently, be it to prescription drugs or OTC unregulated supplements.

I keep hoping a similar drug to Strontium Ranelate will become available on our U.K. treatment options, ie one that stimulates both osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Best wishes

I think it possible, indeed likely, that strontium citrate is as good as strontium ranelate.  It may be better because it's a naturally occurring substance whereas the ranelate is a manmade, patented, money making, form.  There is some research claiming strontium, and I believe this includes the citrate form, stimulates both osteoblasts and osteoclasts.  It's heavier than calcium so when it's incorporated into bone it gives the appearance of increased density, so this is now accounted for when evaluating DXA scan readings.

Hi Anhaga.     I took Strontium Citrate for a few months after stopping  Alendronic acid after 10 weeks due to side effects..  My GP refused to prescribe SR because it cost more than AA.    When I  eventually saw a NHS Consultant, she over rided the GP and said I could have SR, rather than have me self medicating, with unregulated Strontium citrate, bought from the internet.  She also said I could have a repeat scan after 2 yrs SR treatment.  I must say I had no problems from Strontium citrate.

My second scan showed improvement even allowing for a potential 50% error. 

I was later told by my GP that I wouldn’t be allowed future scans while on SR, due to the error.

We assume the DEXA technicians should be able to allow for the Strontium error, but in practice this doesn’t appear to happen, at least not in my area.  I told the technician I was on SR so she could correct for it.  She said this wasn’t possible because there wasn’t an accurate correction factor.   One reason given was the wide variation between patients, regarding how much Ca their bones take up, in relation to Strontium.  This is probably why Servier stated the error could be up to 50%.

Ah, much more complicated than I knew.  I wonder if there is any independent research comparing strontium ranelate and strontium citrate.  One assumes the company which developed ranelate must have done such studies.

Hi Anhaga

i haven’t personally seen any comparison.   The impression I get is that all the research was done by Servier in France, for developing SR.  The supplement companies then jumped on the bandwagon, by quoting Serviers facts and figures, without having the expense of  doing their own research and development. 

I was really gutted when they stopped making it, their reason (they said)  was falling sales.  I then contacted Drs Best as I had used their Strontium citrate without problems, only to be told that they  had stopped selling Strontium citrate, due to fall in demand.

Some of the other US companies are still selling Strontium citrate, but they don’t necessarily make it themselves.   A lot of Strontium  is mined / processed  in China and India is also getting in on the act.   I contacted Algaecal last year  to ask where their Strontium was manufactured and they were getting it from India. 

i know pharmaceutical companies get a lot of stick, but I tend to assume that  if they are based in the U.K. EU, US  or  similar, they work to regulated standards, so their products are  less likely to contain contaminants like other heavy metals, that can occur in the ground along side Strontium ore.   Perhaps my assumption is wrong!

Best wishes

I'd be careful about the source of elements like this.  I think you are very wise to be cautious about the source.