Characteristics

• Strontium, silvery in color, occurs naturally only when combined with other elements, due to its high reactivity to both water and air. Strontium reacts in water to produce hydrogen gas and burns in oxygen to generate strontium nitride, a nitrogen compound.
  
  

Strontium Ranelate

• The drug strontium ranelate, created via a combination of ranelic acid and strontium, has been proven in clinical studies such as the TROPOS (Treatment of Peripheral Osteoporosis), which started in 2000, to increase the growth of bone mass and reduce resorption of bone by osteoclasts, or types of bone cells that remove bone tissue. Researchers attribute this in part to Strontium's higher atomic weight in comparison to calcium.
  
  

Availability

• Strontium ranelate is available in prescription drug form in over 70 countries and is commonly used in the United Kingdom for post-menopausal osteoporosis treatment. Strontium ranelate remains unapproved by the FDA the United States.