Editing Strontium (section)

=== Effect on the human body ===
The human body absorbs strontium as if it were its lighter congener calcium. Because the elements are chemically very similar, stable strontium isotopes do not pose a significant health threat. The average human has an intake of about two milligrams of strontium a day.<ref name="nbb">{{cite book |page=507 |title=Nature's building blocks: an A–Z guide to the elements |first=John|last=Emsley |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-960563-7 |date=2011}}</ref> In adults, strontium consumed tends to attach only to the surface of bones, but in children, strontium can replace calcium in the mineral of the growing bones and thus lead to bone growth problems.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHS/PHS.aspx?phsid=654&toxid=120 |title=Strontium {{!}} Public Health Statement {{!}} ATSDR|author=Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry |date=26 March 2014 |website=cdc.gov |publisher=Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref>

The [[biological half-life]] of strontium in humans has variously been reported as from 14 to 600 days,<ref>{{citation |chapter-url=http://hanford-site.pnnl.gov/envreport/2001/env01_45.pdf |title=Hanford Site 2001 Environmental Report |chapter=4.5 Fish and Wildlife Surveillance |last1=Tiller |first1=B. L. |publisher=DOE |year=2001 |access-date=14 January 2014 |archive-date=11 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511040509/http://hanford-site.pnnl.gov/envreport/2001/env01_45.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/10136486-6sLptZ/native/10136486.pdf |title=Ecotoxicity Literature Review of Selected Hanford Site Contaminants |doi=10.2172/10136486 |publisher=DOE |last1=Driver |first1=C. J. |year=1994 |osti=10136486 |access-date=14 January 2014}}</ref> 1,000 days,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.areaivenvirothon.org/freshwaterecology.htm |title=Freshwater Ecology and Human Influence |publisher=Area IV Envirothon |access-date=14 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101063834/http://www.areaivenvirothon.org/freshwaterecology.htm |archive-date=1 January 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref> 18 years,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://epi.alaska.gov/eh/radiation/RadioisotopesInFood.pdf |title=Radioisotopes That May Impact Food Resources |access-date=14 January 2014 |publisher=Epidemiology, Health and Social Services, State of Alaska |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821162026/http://epi.alaska.gov/eh/radiation/RadioisotopesInFood.pdf |archive-date=21 August 2014 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> 30 years<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gsseser.com/FactSheet/Strontium.pdf |title=Human Health Fact Sheet: Strontium |publisher=Argonne National Laboratory |date=October 2001 |access-date=14 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140124000858/http://www.gsseser.com/FactSheet/Strontium.pdf |archive-date=24 January 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref> and, at an upper limit, 49 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nuclear/biohalf.html |title=Biological Half-life |publisher=HyperPhysics |access-date=14 January 2014}}</ref> The wide-ranging published biological half-life figures are explained by strontium's complex metabolism within the body. However, by averaging all excretion paths, the overall biological half-life is estimated to be about 18 years.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/www/effects/eonw_12.pdf |title=The effects of Nuclear Weapons |last1=Glasstone |first1=Samuel |last2=Dolan |first2=Philip J. |year=1977 |access-date=14 January 2014 |chapter=XII: Biological Effects |page=605}}</ref> The elimination rate of strontium is strongly affected by age and sex, due to differences in [[bone metabolism]].<ref name="ShaginaBougrov2006">{{cite journal |last1=Shagina |first1=N. B. |last2=Bougrov |first2=N. G. |last3=Degteva |first3=M. O. |last4=Kozheurov |first4=V. P. |last5=Tolstykh |first5=E. I. |title=An application of in vivo whole body counting technique for studying strontium metabolism and internal dose reconstruction for the Techa River population |journal=Journal of Physics: Conference Series |volume=41 |issue=1 |year=2006 |pages=433–40 |doi=10.1088/1742-6596/41/1/048|bibcode=2006JPhCS..41..433S |s2cid=32732782 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

The drug [[strontium ranelate]] aids [[bone]] growth, increases bone density, and lessens the incidence of vertebral, peripheral, and hip [[Bone fracture|fractures]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Meunier P. J. |author2=Roux C. |author3=Seeman E. |title=The effects of strontium ranelate on the risk of vertebral fracture in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis |journal=New England Journal of Medicine |volume=350 |date=January 2004 |pages=459–68 |pmid=14749454 |doi=10.1056/NEJMoa022436|last4=Ortolani |first4=S.|last5=Badurski |first5=J. E. |last6=Spector |first6=T. D.|last7=Cannata |first7=J.|last8=Balogh |first8=A.|last9=Lemmel |first9=E. M.|last10=Pors-Nielsen |first10=S.|last11=Rizzoli |first11=R. |last12=Genant |first12=H. K.|last13=Reginster |first13=J. Y.|issue=5 |hdl=2268/7937 |url=http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:315180/UQ315180_OA.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Reginster JY |author2=Seeman E |author3=De Vernejoul MC |title=Strontium ranelate reduces the risk of nonvertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: treatment of peripheral osteoporosis (TROPOS) study |journal=The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism|volume=90 |date=May 2005 |pages=2816–22 |pmid=15728210 |doi=10.1210/jc.2004-1774 |first4=S. |last4=Adami|first5=J. |last5=Compston|first6=C. |last6=Phenekos|first7=J. P. |last7=Devogelaer|first8=M. |last8=Diaz Curiel|first9=A. |last9=Sawicki|first10=S. |last10=Goemaere|first11=O. H. |last11=Sorensen|last12=Felsenberg |first12=D.|last13=Meunier |first13=P. J. |issue=5 |url=http://orbi.ulg.ac.be/bitstream/2268/20123/1/Strontium%20ranelate%20reduces%20the%20risk%20of%20nonvertebral%20fractures%20in%20postmenopausal%20women%20with%20osteoporosis%20Treatment%20of%20Peripheral%20Osteoporosis%20%28TROPOS%29%20study.pdf |doi-access=free }}</ref> However, strontium ranelate also increases the risk of venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, and serious cardiovascular disorders, including myocardial infarction. Its use is therefore now restricted.<ref>{{cite web|title=Strontium ranelate: cardiovascular risk – restricted indication and new monitoring requirements |date= March 2014|url=http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Safetyinformation/DrugSafetyUpdate/CON392870|publisher=Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, UK}}</ref> Its beneficial effects are also questionable, since the increased bone density is partially caused by the increased density of strontium over the calcium which it replaces. Strontium also [[bioaccumulation|bioaccumulates]] in the body.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Price |first1=Charles T. |last2=Langford |first2=Joshua R. |last3=Liporace |first3=Frank A. |date=5 April 2012 |title=Essential Nutrients for Bone Health and a Review of their Availability in the Average North American Diet |pmc=3330619 |journal=Open Orthop. J. |volume=6 |pages=143–49 |doi=10.2174/1874325001206010143|pmid=22523525}}</ref> Despite restrictions on [[strontium ranelate]], strontium is still contained in some supplements.<ref name="WebMD-Strontium">{{cite web |url=https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1077-strontium.aspx?activeingredientid=1077& |title=Strontium |website=[[WebMD]] |access-date=20 November 2017}}</ref><ref name="WebMD-StrontiumOsteoporosis">{{cite web |url=https://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/strontium-treatment-osteoporosis |title=Strontium for Osteoporosis |publisher=[[WebMD]] |access-date=20 November 2017}}</ref> There is not much scientific evidence on risks of strontium chloride when taken by mouth. Those with a personal or family history of blood clotting disorders are advised to avoid strontium.<ref name="WebMD-Strontium" /><ref name="WebMD-StrontiumOsteoporosis" />

Strontium has been shown to inhibit sensory irritation when applied topically to the skin.<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Dermatologic Surgery |volume=25 |issue=9 |pages=689–94|author=Hahn, G.S.|date=1999 |title=Strontium Is a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of Sensory Irritation |pmid=10491058|doi=10.1046/j.1524-4725.1999.99099.x |url=http://refinityskinscience.com/wp-content/themes/refinity/pdf/1_strontium_is_a_potent_selective_inhibitor.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531110553/http://refinityskinscience.com/wp-content/themes/refinity/pdf/1_strontium_is_a_potent_selective_inhibitor.pdf|archive-date=31 May 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author1=Hahn, G.S. |date=2001 |chapter=Anti-irritants for Sensory Irritation |page=285 |title=Handbook of Cosmetic Science and Technology |publisher=CRC Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3dzCrVrGuigC |isbn=978-0-8247-0292-2}}</ref> Topically applied, strontium has been shown to accelerate the recovery rate of the epidermal permeability barrier (skin barrier).<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://210.101.116.107/kda/english/view.asp?year=2006&page=1309&vol=44&iss=11 |page=1309 |author1=Kim, Hyun Jeong |author2=Kim, Min Jung |author3=Jeong, Se Kyoo |title=The Effects of Strontium Ions on Epidermal Permeability Barrier |journal=The Korean Dermatological Association, Korean Journal of Dermatology |number=11 |volume=44 |date=2006 |access-date=31 March 2014 |archive-date=4 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604054749/http://210.101.116.107/kda/english/view.asp?year=2006&page=1309&vol=44&iss=11 |url-status=dead }}</ref>