Questions & Answers

What do you think of the dietary supplement PROSTEON for the treatment of osteoporosis?

The supplement PROSTEON contains calcium, vitamin D, strontium, vitamin K, magnesium and boron. This combination of ingredients has not been systematically assessed for treatment of osteoporosis, nor has it been reviewed and approved by the Food and Drug Administration as safe and effective for this or any other use.

Most of these vitamins and minerals play some role in bone health. However, for individuals who consume recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals by eating a healthy, varied diet (and in the case of vitamin D, getting adequate sun exposure), there is little evidence that taking these as a dietary supplement will reduce the risk of fracture (even if these individuals have been diagnosed with osteoporosis).

The two best-studied ingredients in this product are vitamin D and calcium. Yet even for these supplements, various studies have produced inconclusive results. It still is not possible at this time to say with certainty whether people with osteoporosis need to take calcium or vitamin D supplements if they do not have a deficiency. Taking too much vitamin D and calcium also can cause high blood calcium levels, which in turn can result in kidney stones, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, nausea, heart rhythm disturbances, and, in rare cases, kidney failure.

There is some evidence that strontium (at much larger doses than the dose in PROSTEON) reduces the risk of bone fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. However, high doses of strontium also have been associated with blood clots and nervous system disorders (including headaches and seizures) when taken long-term.

Several randomized, controlled clinical trials have assessed whether vitamin K can increase bone density or prevent fractures, but these trials produced inconclusive results. Our research team was not able to find any controlled trials assessing magnesium or boron for osteoporosis treatment.

Public Citizen’s Health Research Group lists most dietary supplements as Do Not Use, and we see no reason to make an exception to that rule for PROSTEON. The only ingredients in this supplement that offer a proven clinical benefit to patients with osteoporosis are calcium and vitamin D, and these are useful only for individuals with a deficiency. If you are concerned that you might have a vitamin D or calcium deficiency, you can ask your doctor for a urine test (for calcium) or blood test (for vitamin D).