Good to the Bone: Strontium compound prevents some fractures
By Nathan Seppa
An experimental drug containing strontium makes bones denser and decreases the risk of fractures, a study of elderly women finds. The results add the drug, called strontium ranelate, to a wave of new treatments for osteoporosis.
Strontium, a soft metal with chemical similarities to calcium, is widely dispersed in nature. In the 1950s, strontium emerged as a potential osteoporosis drug because it shows a natural attraction to bone. But researchers soon shelved that approach. Strontium was later used as a treatment for bone cancer pain.