Benefits of Strontium

A list of documented benefits of strontium from medical literature starting in 1854 until the present.

Nov 14, 2022

A Bottle of Strontium Lactate, probably from around 1893 - 1920. At the time, Sr lactate would have been prescribed for conditions such as kidney diseases, failure to thrive, stomach and digestive disorders. Image

Overview of Benefits

Here is a list of some of the conditions that strontium (Sr) either has been shown to benefit. Most of the evidence comes from modern clinical trials and/or clinical use in humans, with additional evidence from animal studies and historical medical literature.

Protects the liver in NAFLD and alcoholism
Prevent Sepsis Asthma, histamine overload,
Reduces inflammation & neuroinflammation Reduces NF-κB, TNFa and IL-6
Promotes mitochondria health, reduces mitochondria swelling, reduces endoplasmic reticulum stress, reduces cell death ( apoptosis)
Promotes bone and collagen growth and repair.
Digestive track: Reduces pain, irritability, discomfort after eating, etc. It also promotes a healthy balance of gut fora, and seems to increase nutrient absorption.
Reverses cachexia in cancer patients. Promotes general health and well-being in cancer, reduces pain and restores bone in bone cancer.
Reduces pathological pain in various conditions including Parkenson’s, arthritis, amputated limbs, macular degeneration, and many other conditions.
Protects the brain from neuroinflammation, brain degeneration as a result of NAFLD, and other similar conditions.

The Basics of Strontium in Biology & Medicine

Strontium (Sr) is both very similar to calcium and it is generally interchangeable with calcium (Ca), meaning it can function as Ca in almost every biological function.
Normally, the strontium / calcium ratio (Sr:Ca) is about 1:2000, with a small amount of Sr replacing Ca everywhere that Ca is present.
- Raising the Sr:Ca can reverse the abnormal Ca signaling often associated with diseased states.
- For example, one clinical trial by Dr Skoryna on hospitalized patients in St. Mary's Hospital, Montreal, Canada, 183 to 274 mg Sr daily increased the average Sr:Ca ratio from about 1:2200 to about 1:18. No side effects were noted. (Much larger doses have been used.)
In Dr. Skoryna’s clinical trial mentioned above, strontium reverses weight-loss in cancer patients (cachexia) and improved overall patient well-being.
Strontium was a very common ingredient in French pharmaceuticals in the late 1890s.
Strontium protects and stabilizes the mitochondria.
- Reduces mitochondria swelling, protects liver mitochondria in alcoholic episodes, protects the mitochondria from numerous toxins and Ca influxes, etc.
Pharmaceutical companies have been trying to find patentable forms of strontium for diabetes, neuropathic pain, and osteoporosis.
- Phase II clinical trials have been carried out for phantom stump pain from amputated limbs, osteoarthritis pain, fibromyalgia Pain, and recovery from Ultra Violet B Radiation
Strontium drastically reduces inflammatory cytokines.
- It also reduces inflammation, irritation, and the cell danger response. Strong evidence suggest its use in sepsis, allergic reactions, asthma and histamine reactions.

This medicine, possibly from about 1921, was a remedy for rheumatism, with both Sr salicylate and Sr Iodide. Link to image

Potassium iodide and sodium iodide were much cheaper than Sr iodide. The more expensive strontium form was used because it provided additional benefits, and because it reduced the side effects of both iodine and salicylate.

Strontium was also the primary active ingredient in compounds such as Sr carbonate, Sr phosphate, Sr nitrate, Sr lactate and others. The widespread use of such compounds made Sr among the most commonly used ingredient in pharmaceuticals in France. Sr was less common in other countries, probably because it was expensive.

Sr is just under Ca in the periodic table, and has very similar properties. Link to Image

Intro

Strontium (Sr) is a mineral, very similar to calcium. I argue that Sr is also a nutrient. It may or may not be an essential nutrient. However, as a nutrient, it has numerous benefits. As a nutrient, Sr has about the same toxicity as calcium or magnesium.

I have been researching the properties and benefits of strontium (Sr) on the human body for a number of years. I have come to the conclusion that it is very safe and very beneficial, both as a nutrient and as a natural medicine.

Sr²⁺ is very similar to Ca²⁺ in its biological properties. Sr²⁺ mimics Ca²⁺, replaces Ca²⁺, and keeps Ca²⁺ signaling in homeostasis. The present of Sr everywhere is nature where Ca is present, and its participation in every biological function of Ca should make it an official trace mineral and nutrient. When the Sr:Ca ratio increases, the nature of Ca²⁺ changes. Here are a few of the benefits.

Mitochondria: Reduces excessive Ca²⁺ influxes and reduced swelling under stress.
Reduction in overactive Ca²⁺ signaling.
Dramatic reduction in inflammation & inflammatory cytokines.
Changes in neurotransmitter releases.
Reduction in excitotoxicity.

In short, Sr seems to protect the mitochondria and reduce the cell danger response. And that changes everything.

Here is a brief report of my research.

Benefits & Possible Benefits

This is a list of health conditions that Sr has been shown to benefit, either in animal studies, historical accounts, clinical observations, case studies, or modern clinical trials. I only included benefits with fairly strong evidence to support the claim.

There are numerous references at the end of this post that cover most of the benefits listed here, but not all. Quite frankly, I just don’t have the time to properly provide a reference next to every benefit I listed in this post.

Consider this as an intro. In the future I will post articles on specific aspects of Sr, which will be well-referenced.

Mitochondria

Protective effect damage from excessive Ca influxes into the mitochondria.
Protects the mitochondria cristae structure of rats in a stress test (60 minutes on a treadmill).
Sr reduced mitochondria Swelling caused by Mg, Phosphate, Thyroxine, oleate, and Bromobenzene. (Most of these studies were done in rat livers.)
Protects the liver mitochondria from alcohol toxicity in acute alcoholic episodes.

Diabetes,

Reduces urine sugar levels
Improved mitochondria function in diabetic rats.
Sr dramatically increased the testosterone level and a reduction in diabetic testopathy in diabetic rats.
Improved biomarkers in Diabetes in Male spontaneously obese insulin-resistant diabetic mice
significantly relieved apoptosis caused by diabetes
Protection from diabetic nephropathy
Reduction in total cholesterol and triglyceride in diabetic rats.
Normalized NADPH oxidases and MMPs (Matrix metalloproteinases).
Plasma strontium was inversely associated with newly diagnosed type-2 diabetes and impaired glucose regulation.

Digestive

Nausea
Inflammatory bowel diseases & gastric Pain
Gut Microbiota & Flatulent Dyspepsia
“Controlling formation of lactic and acetic acids”
Ulcerative colitis, Ulcers, Hyperacidity of Stomach, etc.
gastroesophageal reflux and barrett's esophagus
Sr seems to increase or improve bile production, secretion and bile makeup.
Eliminated Intestinal worms (taenia).
Numerous reports of improvement in “nutritional status” and general health.

Neurologic Benefits

Update: A major new study on Sr was just published in the June, 2023 issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. It has solid evidence to support the use of Sr to treat brain inflammation and degeneration as a result of NAFLD liver disease in mice. I also believe that this new info along with previous info would support the theoretical use of Sr to treat long COVID. Link

Stops the cycle of neuropathic pain. (Constant pain can cause habitual nerve synapses and release cytokines that sensitize neighboring nerves.)
Reduces neurological degeneration from diabetes.
Reduces headaches.
Phase II clinical trials have apparently shown topical Sr to benefit:
phantom stump pain from amputated limbs, Arthritis pain. (from unpublished trial data)
- Other phase II clinical trials were carried out for fibromyalgia Pain, and recovery from Ultra Violet B Radiation, but I couldn’t find any info on the outcomes.
Topical application has been shown to benefits:
Soft-tissue pain including radiation burns, pain from Bechterew's, and pain from compressed cervical nerves, arthritis, ligament damage from child birth, chronic nerve compression, nerve damage, throat cancer, sunburns, brachioradial pruritus, and pain from severe macular degeneration.
High-dose injections of Sr have benefited:
Parkinson's disease, "neuralgia of various types and etiologies", “pain from encephalitis”, "neuralgia of various types and etiologies" pain from encephalitis, pain with inoperable joint pain with chronic arthritis, pain in the course of acute inflammatory diseases”, phantom stump pain from an amputated leg, “erythema nodosum with joint swelling and acute muscular rheumatism”, periarthritis, “multiple sclerosis encephalitis”, swollen joints, extremely painful subcutaneous nodules, and pain carcinomas (bone metastases).

Immune Benefits

Inflammation
Sepsis
Sinuses & allergic reactions
Asthma
Lowers histamine (Directly and indirectly)
- Sr reduces substance P and possible other cytokines that indirectly activate mast cells.
- Sr directly changes the characteristics of mast cell degranulation, which usually results in less histamine release, but under certain conditions could increase histamine release.
  The spontaneous histamine secretion in the presence of Sr occurs slowly compared with evoked histamine secretion.
- Observational data suggest that Sr usually significantly keeps histamine in check.
Topical Sr reduces non-histamine-mediated itch, irritation and inflammation
Topical Sr reduces histamine-mediated itch, irritation and inflammation
Reduces NF-κB, TNFa and IL-6
Reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS).
Reduces infections when added to various types of implants (Regenerative Therapies such as bioglass etc.)
Sr “attenuates lipopolysaccharide-stimulated proinflammatory cytokine expression” (in periodontitis)
Reduces irritation of the skin and mucous membranes and of the teeth

Cytokine levels in children with high levels of Sr in their drinking water

Some areas in the Perm region of Russia have unusually high levels of Sr in the drinking water. This study compared children who drank water that had an average of 3.68 x more Sr, which resulted in an average of 1.55 x higher blood Sr levels than the control group of children from the same general region. As you can see, the children with high Sr intake had drastically lower inflammatory cytokines. Although the authors considered this a risk factor, no adverse outcomes were noted. The dose of Sr is somewhat age dependent, with babies and children responding to smaller doses than adults.
Link to this study Link to a similar study

Cancer

Reverses weight-loss in cancer patients (cachexia).
Improves general health and well-being in cancer patients
Reduces cancer related inflammation.
Reduces the side-effects of cancer treatment.
(Normalization of ACTH, Cortisol and IAP levels as a result of Cancer treatment.)
Reduces bone-cancer pain. (although radio Sr is the standard treatment, non-radio-active, in much larger doses, is also very effective.)
Re-mineralizes metastatic bone-cancer lesions.
Improved immune biomarkers in cancer patients.
Sr hasn’t been shown to reduce tumor size when used alone. However, one study showed reduced tumor size when Sr was combined with other drugs.

Anabolic

Reverses cachexia in hospitalized patents.
Increases growth, weight gain (pre-adult years) and appetite, especially in the underweight and sick.
Sr has an inverse-U dose-response curve.
High doses of Sr stunts growth, causing rickets, loss of cartilage, weight loss, and decreased appetite.
Even some plants grow faster with Sr, and have the same inverse-U dose-response curve.
Historical case studies of Sr restoring appetite to patients with anorexia.
Seems to promote normal cellular anabolic activity in adults.
Reduces apoptosis in some cases.
The anabolic properties the {Sr:Ca ratio} as opposed to Sr levels or intake.

In this study screws were inserted into the tibia of Sprague–Dawley rats. Screws in C, D and E were coated with 5% Sr, 10% Sr and 20% Sr respectively, and resulted in increases of osteoblast proliferation and bone formation Morphology, Composition, and Bioactivity of Strontium-Doped Brushite Coatings Deposited on Titanium Implants via Electrochemical Deposition

Bone, Teeth & Connective Tissue

Note: There was a popular drug called Strontium Ranelate that was marketed for the treatment of osteoporosis. It combined Sr with the patented renalic acid. According to my research, the Sr ion promoted bone health and the ranelic acid damaged the bones, so the net benefit was very small. Ranelic acid was probably the culprit for most of, if not all of the side effects. Hopefully I can share these finding is a future post.

Increases osteoblast and reduces osteoclast.
Replaces Ca in calcified tissue. (A limited amount of Sr in the bone matrix seems to make bones stronger and/or more flexible, but there is conflicting data. The main benefit of Sr on bones is by stimulating bone growth, and not necessarily by being incorporated into the bone matrix.)
Sr stimulates the production of collagen, including type II collagen.
Promote osteogenic autophagy.
(Based on limited evidence, Sr seems to promote cycling between distinct anabolic and catabolic states, stimulating AMPK and Autophagy in calcified tissue and possibly non-calcified tissue.)

Sr increases tolerance to…

Chemicals, toxins, allergens, irritants, medicines and foods can cause reactions, and we as humans can heave either a natural intolerance or a developed intolerance to such things. Sometime the intolerance is caused by the immune response, and sometimes the intolerance is just a basic toxicity reaction.

However, no mater what we are intolerant to, Sr seems to help, increasing our tolerance and/or decreasing the side effects. This property of Sr seems to be almost universal. Here is a short list of documented examples.

Bromine, iodine, salicylic acid, and arsenic.
(In historical times, these were very common drugs with serious side effects, which were reduced by using Sr. For example, Sr bromide is less toxic than sodium bromide.)
Modern cancer treatment including both drugs and radiation.
Food sensitivities.
Histamine and non-histamine related skin irritation.

Various Health Conditions

Protected the liver from alcohol toxicity in acute alcoholic episodes.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rat studies.
Arthritis and Arthrosis (Sr stimulates cartilage growth, and reduces inflammation and pain.)
Sr blocked outbreaks in the mouth area from herpes simplex infection in 2 patients. (However, Sr had no reported effect on killing the herpes virus.)
Psoriasis (1 patient symptom free after 12 years of severe psoriasis) Dialysis with improperly filtered water that is high in Sr has apparently cured psoriasis.
Severe macular degeneration.
Relief from long-term fatigue (limited supporting data).
Radiation exposure: “The group of rats that were injected with SrCl₂ before being irradiated (with a lethal dose) lived 36.6% longer”.
Various kidney condition & albuminuria. (very high doses, often about 10 grams a day, were very effective in a subset of kidney conditions in the late 1800s.)
Whooping Cough, including numerous children and infants (Amazing results from a book published in 1854)
Prevents soft tissue Calcification according to some studies.
Sr appears to be an effective Anti-microbial against some microbes.
According to one researcher, it is importance for babies & Fetal Development.
Sr is aggressively being studied and possible used for use in regenerative therapies, implants, scaffolds & bioglass to reduce infections, reduce inflammation, and promote growth.
Improvement in the mental state of female Epileptic patients from Sr bromide. (A zombie-like mental state was a very common effect of sodium bromide and potassium bromide. But there was a significant reduction in side effects when Sr bromide was used, so an actual improvement in mental states is very significant.)
Sr bromide was more effective in treating epilepsy than sodium bromide or potassium bromide according to some doctors.
Urinary Lithiasis
Preeclampsia
Asthma
Anxiety in patients with bi-polar disorder.

Sr Bromide & Sr Iodide, 1890s to 1920s. The bromides were used for epilepsy and as a sedative. The iodides had multiple uses. In both cases, the Sr reduced the side effects. Link1 Link2

Strontium is Sold OTC as a Nutritional Supplement

Strontium is sold OTC as a nutritional supplement in the USA and other countries.

The only possible benefit listed on the label is bone health. Few people seem to be aware of strontium’s other benefits, but even if they were aware, nutritional supplement labels are highly regulated.

Practically almost every supplement is in the form of Sr citrate, and the recommended dose is 680 mg daily.

The “Standard” Dose probably wasn’t Calculated using Good Science.

I am not a doctor nor any kind of legally recognized healthcare provider, so I am not suggesting a protocol

However, based on the evidence I have seen, the “standard” dose of about 668 mg a day is probably too low to treat most of the conditions I mentioned above.

Historical & Modern Protocols

The golden age of strontium in healthcare was launched when Dr Laborde of Paris, France published his experiments that he did on animals, his friends, and himself.

Jean-Baptiste Vincent Laborde (1830-1903) Doctor, neurologist and neurophysiologist. He was head of Physiology Laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris and editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper The Medical Tribune. He was widely respected not just in France, but world wide.

Although Sr had been used as early as 1854, it was an obscure remedy until Dr Laborde declared Sr to be safe and very beneficial in 1891.

In 1891, The British Journal of Medicine describes Dr Laborde’s research as follows.

The experiments were as follows: (1) The chloride was given to guinea pigs and rabbits, either hypodermically or by intramuscular injection. Doses of 0.16 gramme to 0.2 gramme in the former, and of 0.4 to 0.5 gramme in the latter, did not produce the least appreciable effect, either local or general. (2) To a dog of medium size doses of 0.9 grams to 1 gram were given by intravenous injection. These also produced no ill effects, either on pulse or respiration, and even large doses could be given without either immediate or subsequent harm. (3) When administered by the stomach a dog can take closes as large as 2 and 3 grams of chloride of strontium without any other symptom than a certain amount of diuresis. M. Laborde has also for some time past observed its action on himself and on a friend. He has thus proved that daily doses of from 1 gram to 2 grams are absolutely innocuous, even when continued for weeks or months, and may even have a beneficial action on the digestive function. (4) Experiments made with the bromide of Strontium showed that on frogs, guinea-pigs, and dogs the salt has no action beyond that attributable to the bromine portion of the molecule. It is therefore recommended by him as superior to the corresponding, potassium salt, being less toxic, better borne, and possessing probably at least equal value as regards its therapeutic effect in cases where potassium bromide is generally employed. …
The remaining conclusions may be stated as follows: (a) Animals or men taking salts of strontium with their ordinary food show increased appetite, nearly always increased weight, and the phenomena of assimilation- and nutrition seem to be facilitated. (b) Under exactly similar conditions the salts of potassium rapidly provoke intolerance, unless very small doses be given. (c) Strontium appears besides to exercise an antiseptic action on tissues, liquids, and excreta; its presence in the intestine is incompatible with the existence of taenia in the dog, which fact would seem to show that it has a true parasiticide action. (d) Of the various salts the phosphate appears the most suitable for therapeutic use. …

In the following years, numerous other doctors experimented and used Sr in various forms and for various conditions. Some very large doses were often used, and yet no cases of toxicity were ever reported.

In fact, case studies with daily doses of around 10 mg of various Sr formulas are quite common in the literature of the time. Even larger doses were considered to be safe, but were seldom needed.

Within a few years, prescriptions of potassium bromide and sodium bromide were almost exclusively replaced with strontium bromide in France. Bromine (bromide) was a very common sedative and the standard drug for epilepsy. Its side effects (skin rashes, zombie-like state etc.) were very common, and the presence of Sr drastically reduced these side effects. Likewise, strontium formulas for iodine (Sr iodide) and aspirin (Sr salicylate) also became standard in France. This made strontium the most common ingredient found in French medicines, with more than half of all drugs being formulated with Sr. (Since Sr was quite expensive, it would have never been used as an inactive “filler”.)

During the next 20 years or so, numerous studies, observations, case studies, and references to Sr appeared in all the popular medical journals.

Still, nobody reported any side effects or negative outcomes. And the side effects of salicylate, bromide, and iodine were drastically reduced.

Dr Alwens: Neuroinflammation, Pain, & High Doses of Sr

In the 1920s, German doctors were given much higher doses as an analgesic. Here are some quotes from Dr Alwens.

“Although Strontium bromatum (bromide) may not be regarded as a fully-fledged substitute for morphine, there is still the possibility of preventing morphinism in patients suffering from long-lasting illnesses accompanied by pain.” …
“R. H., 53 years old, diagnosis: Parkinson's disease (chronic encephalitis). Since the spring of 1920, increasing stiffness in all muscles, combined with swallowing difficulties. Abdominal pain for a year, independent of food intake. …On (July 16th, 1923) the patient received 10 % strontium (bromide) 10 cc intravenously. After that, no pain for 4 hours. In the following time, the patient reacts to every 10 % strontium (bromide) injection with freedom from pain, which lasts about 4-5 hours. With constant strontium bromide therapy, the individual pain attacks become more benign.” Alwens, W. (1924). Ueber Strontium und seine Verbindungen als Analgetikum und über parenterale Bromtherapie

Such doses are practically impossible with oral supplementation, and Dr. Alwens had to use Sr injection to achieve his results. (Sr has 2.54 grams per cubic centimeter.)

Hiroshima

In the 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Although naturally occurring Sr is not radio active, atomic bombs produce a man-made, radio-active form of Sr. During the cold war (1947 –1991), fear of radioactive Sr resulted in hundreds of studies and papers on Sr metabolism. Yet no adverse effect of non-radio active Sr were ever noted.

Mayo Clinic study Published in 1959.

Two doctors from the Mayo Clinic published a clinical trial in 1959 that should have put Sr supplements on the shelves of every drugstore and pharmacy in the world.

Here is a section of the article.

“Strontium lactate (strontolac) at 6.4 g. daily was used for from 3 months to 3 years to treat 72 patients with osteoporosis; 32 patients were available for subsequent study, and case histories of 6 are given. Three-quarters of the patients were aged between 50 and 69 at admission and only 4 of the 32 discussed were men. Among 10 treated with strontium in combination with oestrogens and testosterone, 9 had definite subjective improvement and one moderate improvement. Of 22 who had strontium lactate alone, 18 improved markedly and 4 moderately. No patient failed to improve subjectively. Changes in X-ray pictures of the lumbar and thoracic regions were equivocal in 25 and were not found in 7. Although the mechanism of action is not understood, the therapeutic value of the treatment seemed to be established.”
Case 1 A 34-year old woman had experienced aching in the lower part of the back since delivery of a child 5 years earlier. The diagnosis of osteoporosis had been made, and for 3 years prior to admission she had been treated with hormones and worn a back brace, but without improvement. Examination proved stiffness of the spinal column with limitation of movement, grade 4; and roentgenograms revealed generalized osteoporosis with compression of the second lumbar vertebra. After the beginning of therapy with strontium lactate, the patient showed steady improvement, and 3 years later she was free of pain. Roentgenograms of the vertebrae made before and after treatment are shown in Fig. 1.
Case 2 A 42-year-old woman had suffered from gradually increasing pain in the back for 5 years. She had been bedridden for several months and was unable to stand or move when examined upon admission. Roentgenograms gave evidence of osteoporosis with wedging of both thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. After 3 years of treatment with strontium lactate and combined hormones, the patient had discarded her brace and was able to undertake normal daily activities. Roentgenograms of the vertebrae made before and after treatment are shown in Fig. 2.

By my calculations, 6.4 grams of Sr lactate provide 2.11 grams of elemental Sr. This is significantly higher than the 0.680 grams of Sr citrate in most supplements.

The effect of strontium lactate in the treatment of osteoporosis. Author(s): Mccaslin, F. E., Jr.; Janes, J. M. Journal article: Proceedings of Staff Meetings of the Mayo Clinic 1959 Vol.34 pp.329-334 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4684-3698-3_33

You can buy the article here for $30.00, or the whole book for $109.00 The book is edited and compiled by Dr Skoryna, published in 1981.

Dr. Skoryna: Study of 50 Hospitalized Patients

When Dr. Skoryna gave hospitalized patients an aggressive Sr supplementation protocol, the average blood Sr increased by about 100 x.

“In the group of 50 patients that received stable strontium for 3 months or longer the number of cases of the various conditions was too small to make statistically valid comparisons, but the mean strontium: calcium ratio in the serum of these patients did increase to 1:18, compared with 1:2247 in subjects not given the supplement. No side effects or toxic reactions were observed, and 73% of the patients gained an average of 2 kg of body weight over 2 to 3 months. Subjective feelings of improvement, which are impossible to evaluate, particularly in cancer patients, were frequently reported. In patients with metastatic bone cancer arising from a primary lesion in the breast or prostate, roentgenographic studies showed mineralization of metastatic lesions.” Effects of oral supplementation with stable strontium” Stanley Skoryna, MD, PH D

Dr Skoryna’s protocol was 1 to 1.5 grams of strontium gluconate (183
to 274 mg Sr daily. Although Sr gluconate has a significantly higher bio-availability than most other Sr salts, this dose was very effective. By comparison, Sr citrate has a fairly low bio-availability and doesn’t seem to be an effective form.

Strontium Ranelate: Modern Pharma Steals a Patent from God.

Strontium Ranelate, a patented form of Sr that became a popular drug in Europe and most of the world. It was marketed first for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, and later it was also approved for men with osteoporosis. But it was never approved in the USA.

I have spend months and maybe even a year or so investigating the French pharmaceutical company Servier. I haven’t made my research public yet, but you can trust me on this. The story of Sr Ranelate is one of fraud, ghost-written peer-reviewed articles, hidden data, faults representation of data, secret studies probably conducted in 3rd world countries and death.

In 1991, Servier obtained a patent on ranelic acid. Ranelic acid had only one purpose: to make a patented form of Sr. Ranelic acid is toxic, and has no value, except for the over 200 million dollar annual revenue when Strontium Ranelate was popular.

The standard dose of Sr Ranelate is 1000 mg daily, which supplies 680 mg of Sr, and 320 mg of ranelic acid.

Why was the dose set at 680 mg of Sr?

Because 320 mg of ranelic acid was more than enough to produce toxicity in their patient population, and Servier Pharmaceuticals had to hide its toxicity during the clinical trials.

In an unpublished study, a 2000 mg daily dose of Sr Ranelate produced digestive disorders that resulted in a significant reduction in caloric intake. Reduced caloric intake in the elderly results in weaker bones.

It is also interesting that the 1000 mg dose of Sr Ranelate with 680 mg of Sr was determined to be the “minimum effective dose” according to the phase II trials.

Obviously, there were well aware that the 1958 Mayo Clinic study used 6.4 grams of Sr lactate, providing 2.11 grams of elemental Sr, and it achieved much much better results.

In 2002, Advanced Orthomolecular Research (AOR) introduced the world’s first Sr Citrate supplement. The “standard” or “recommended” dose printed on the label was 680 mg of Sr from Sr citrate.

Various world patent offices including the US patent office awarded a patent for Ranelic acid because when combined with Sr, it made strontium more bioavailable. In vague language, the patent compared Sr Ranelate to Sr carbonate. Link to the US Patent

Sr Gluconate is about 2 times more bioavailable than Sr carbonate.

Sr citrate is significantly more bioavailable than Sr Ranelate, but in one small rat study, it only slightly outperformed Sr Ranelate. Sr

One side by side study rated these salts from worst to best in bioavailability: Sr Ranelate, Sr aspartate, Sr chloride, Sr citrate, Sr a-ketogluterate, Sr Glutamate, and Sr Malonate. Link (Sr Malonate was a promising patented form of Sr, but Servier Pharmaceuticals, the makers of Sr Ranelate, purchased the patent rights and it magically disappeared.)

“Strontium citrate has no medicinal uses”

This quote is from the 1893 edition of the MERCK'S MARKET REPORT AND PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. Merck published an article (PHARMACY OF THE STRONTIUM SALTS), which covered Sr nitrate, Sr carbonate, Sr bromide, Sr carbonate, Sr phosphate, Sr sulfate, Sr acetate, Sr benzoate, Sr lactate, Sr salicylate, Sr tartrate, and Sr citrate. The article included clinical uses for most of these salts. But in the section on Sr citrate, it clearly stated, “Strontium citrate has no medicinal uses”. 1893 Merck

Another reason to avoid citrate is that, according to some studies, citrate removes Sr and Ca from the body, especially from established bones. Other studies suggest that citrate may be good for the bones. These studies are from the Cold War era when there was a real fear of radio-active Sr (Sr85) from nuclear bomb fallout. Citrate was considered one of the best agents to remove radioactive Sr from the body.

I should add that extra-cellular citrate plays a major role in bone formation. The limited research clearly suggest that citrate can either promote bone health or cause bone loss, depending on other various factors. See the following link: "Citrate and Rickets in Rats"

A general overview of modern studies using Sr to treat osteoporosis in both humans and animals seem to me to be positive, but Sr lactate seems to be much more effective. Also, I have read lots of stuff including peer-reviews articles, blogs, internet forums and product reviews and there is also the absence of any non-bone related or general improvement in health noted in people taking Sr citrate.

My top choices for Sr Formulas

Sr gluconate, Sr phosphate and Sr L-lactate would be my top choices.

The good news is that we don’t have to choose. Neither Sr gluconate nor Sr phosphate is sold as a nutritional supplement. So, the clear choice is Sr L-lactate. Sr chloride is also available. I suspect that it would be a better choice than Sr citrate, but the historical evidence suggest that it may not be as beneficial as the other choices.

Sr lactate has a long history of safe use, but it contains both L-lactate and D-lactate. Recently, a small pharmaceutical company obtained a patent on a process to formulate Sr L-lactate, which is the form of lactate that naturally occurs in our bodies, may be both less toxic and more effective.

I have no financial connection to this company, but I don’t mind promoting any company that makes a good product. https://www.activesr.com/

(I have not personally tried their Sr supplements because I live in Lima, Peru where import regulations and shipping cost make that near impossible.)

A very Short and Oversimplified Statement on Safety.

First, let me state that for adults, I have found practically no real health risk taking strontium supplementation, even in fairly large doses. There are no real red flags.

I do know of a case where a autism-spectrum child had an increase in OCD behavior when given Sr citrate. The child had extremely low hair levels of Sr and calcium, so one theoretical cause could be that Sr further reduced already low calcium signaling.

Of course, some undesirable health outcomes are only noticeable with a very large, well-designed study. We don’t have such studies. But Sr has such a long history of use, by careful doctors treating a wide range of patients, in different cultures, and over a long period of time. The lack of adverse reports suggest to me that Sr is probably safe, and the possible benefits far outweigh the risk.

I have concluded that the real and serious adverse effects from Strontium Ranelate are a result of the ranelic acid, and in some cases maybe aspartame. Of course, I can’t be 100% sure of that, but…

Sr Rickets

In 1974, it was estimated that 32.0% of the children under the age of 5 showed signs of rickets in region of Turkey that a high levels of naturally occurring Sr in the soil, drinking water, and food. However, rickets was basically non-existant in the babies that were breast-fed.

Strontium Rickets (any demineralization of the bones as a result of Sr) is rare and usually requires long-term, large doses, especially in people with severe deficiency in vitamin D, calcium, and/or phosphorus.
- Infants and children are much more susceptible to Sr rickets and Sr overload.
Although Sr seems to improve immune function, It can drastically lower cytokines, and cytokines do server a purpose.
Sr has an almost perfect safety record, with practically no toxic reactions.
Toxicity studies that have injected animals with lethal doses have shown that Sr has about the same, or even less toxicity as Mg, Ca, N, and other minerals.
Short term toxicity is practically impossible with oral doses.

In this graph, the green line represents the normal dose response curve. I didn’t include any values simple because there are too many variables, and I don’t really know what the values should be. The black reference line represents 0 net benefit. Anything below the black line represents bone demineralization, aka Sr rickets. Above the black line is bone mineralization.

The apex, or highest point represents the ideal dose of Sr for bone growth. The point that it crosses the black line is the 0 net gain dose. If were were theoretically using Sr to treat neuro-inflammation, we would rather keep the dose lower than the O-net-gain, or at least we want to do a risk:benefit assessment.

The red line has the same shape as the green line, but it is shifted to the left. This could represent, among other things, the dose response for babies and children. It also represents the dose response for low calcium intake or low calcium status regardless of intake. (Calcium status is very complex. Low Calcium intake can raise blood calcium levels. So an undetected low calcium status, or even a localized pseudo low calcium status could result in Sr causing undesirable effects.)

Although not shown, the dose-response curve can also shift to the right, making it necessary to increase the dose for ideal benefits. Theoretically, calcium supplementation would shift the curve to the right. This may be one reason for the very unimpressive results in the studies involving Strontium Ranelate. All the patients took calcium supplements, making Sr less effective.

The dose-response curve also applies to time. During the first few weeks of mega dosing Sr, there may be bone mineralization, but as Sr accumulates, it could result in Sr rickets.

Other factors may either shift the curve, or change the shape of the curve. For example, vitamin D protects against Sr rickets, but only within a limited Sr dose range. Vitamin D does not protect against very high mega doses of Sr in people with low calcium levels according to some very good historical data.

BTW, checking vitamin D levels would be a very good idea before taking high doses of Sr.

The issue of safety deserves its own post. I have a lots of info and a lots of things I want to say. But not today.

You could read the USDA and/or WHO document of Sr toxicity for further info.

Toxicological Profile For Strontium; U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services 2004

World Health Organization Publication “Strontium and Strontium Compounds” 2010

Saturated Binding Sites

This is purely theoretical. During my research, I have noted times when large doses of Sr seem to work miracles, but smaller doses do nothing. Admittedly, I have not deeply analysed the literature, which is another reason to treat this as only a theory.

In the blood, Sr tends to find its favorite binding sites. However, higher doses of Sr will saturate these binding sites, and as a result, the additional Sr will circulate in other forms. If we assume that these other forms of circulation Sr provide more ionic Sr, aka Sr²⁺, then we could assume that increasing the blood Sr levels significantly about the saturation point of the common binding sites would provide significantly more benefits.

If my theory is correct, than pulsing Sr therapy may be ideal. This might include X number of days of high doses, followed by X number of days without any supplemental Sr.

However, there are numerous studies that show a benefit of low doses of Sr, far below the satiation point for binding sites.

Another suggestion is to start off with high doses. The general wisdom with most supplements is use low, minimally effective doses, but Sr may be different. You want to know if Sr is having an effect. High doses will magnify the effect, good or bad, and give the patient a better idea if it’s working. If it doesn’t work, then you can save money by not buying a second bottle.

Strontium is a Nutrient.

After all my years of studying, I have concluded that strontium is a nutrient.

In Sr free environments, numerous animals experience failure-to-thrive and poor bone formation. (This is difficult to achieve since Sr is very common, and only limited studies have been done.)
The body has receptors that detect Sr and initiate unique pathways in response to Sr. (The CaSR [Calcium Sensing Receptor] is the only such receptor currently identified, which detects both Ca and Sr, and initiates a different response for each ion.)
Sr acts like a nutrient. It provides mild benefits to almost every biological system.
Its presence effects hundreds if not more pathways, and practically all of its effects seem to be positive.

Is Sr an “essential” nutrient?

To answer that question, we would need to create an Sr-free environment in order to see that would effect human life. That would be very difficult if not impossible, and IMO, a waste of time.

I would prefer to call Sr an “official” nutrient.

Why not just get our Sr from food and water.

I generally believe that getting nutrients from food and water is best. However, for Sr, that isn’t practical.

The best sources of Sr are from grains such a wheat grown in high-Sr soil. I generally wouldn’t recommend grains, and moving to an area with high levels of Sr in drinking water may be a little unpractical. Some seafood is also high in Sr, but for most of us living in the modern world, Sr conveniently comes in bottles.

Is a Nutrient still a Nutrient at Mega Doses?

Most of the historical and modern daily doses of Sr I cover here are greater than the total amount of Sr that an average has in their body. (According to my calculation bases on various sources, the average human adult has about 767 mg of Sr in their bodies.)

So, we could conclude that in these cases, Sr was being used as a “natural medicine” or even as a “pharmaceutical”.

In reality, I don’t really care what you call Sr a nutrient or a natural medicine. Sr seems to have a huge therapeutic window, and small amounts would probably benefit just about everybody.

However, I somehow suspect that larger doses should be reserved for specific problems and taken with wisdom.

Who am I and Why do I Write?

Many of my childhood memories are of experiencing brain fog, and being the last one picked for a basketball or baseball game.

In high school, my most common memory is trying to have a social life while being in a zombie-like state from fatigue and low energy. I joined the army after high school, and I had numerous physicals, including a few flight physicals. But they found nothing wrong.

So I became my own doctor. I did my own research. I learned how to apply BS detectors to medical professionals and authorities. After spending half my life in a zombie-like state of brain fog and fatigue, and later developing psoriasis, I found answers. One day, either by accident or by the plan of God, I somehow found myself researching strontium on the internet. Now it is my passion. I guess my research on Sr just may be the main reason I was born.

When I started writing this, my purpose was to share my research with the medical professionals, the natural medicine world and the nutritional.

Although I never intended this to be read by people outside the world of medical professionals and scientist, anybody is welcome to read this and I hope you find it beneficial.

But, again, both for legal reasons and because I don’t know everything, I have to state that this is not medical advice, and it is for informational purposes only.

Could Sr be used to treat long COVID, or from an imaginary injury caused by a perfectly safe injection recommended by honest public health professionals?

Maybe and maybe not. This is for informational purposes only. But Sr does protect the mitochondria, prevent neuro-inflammation, and lower cytokine levels.

More to Come

In the future I plan to post on many aspects of Sr, including its many benefits, biological effects, its history and its safety.

I also hope to try Sr myself someday. Although it is inexpensive and sold OTC in the USA, my birth country, I currently live in Peru where importing nutritional supplements is almost impossible and very expensive. But if I ever get the chance to try it, I will post my results.

My email address is GringoIncaJoe@protonmail.com Feel free to contact me for any reason.

Of course, leave a comment. This is my first post and I am very hungry for comments. Ask a question, request a reference for a specific benefit, disagree, or just say hi. Any non-troll comment will be appreciated.

References & Selected Reading List.

Trust me on this. I have references for every claim in this post. However, I didn’t provide them here mostly because I don’t have time.

However, I suspect that what you really need and want is a short list of the best references and links, and not a long list of time-wasting references.

I plan on publishing future post on specific aspects of Sr, and these will be well-referenced. I really wish I had the time to properly reference everything in this post. Email me if you want a reference that I didn’t provide, or leave a comment. GringoIncaJoe@protonmail.com

The first 2 links are what I consider to be the most important. The rest of the links are semi-organized into groups, but the order is still somewhat random, and these links were also somewhat chosen at random from the hundreds of references I have accumulated, but I did try to pick out the best.