Source comparison
MK-677 Bone Health Protocol — Treatment Duration Comparison
3 months 50–70% above baseline +15–20% Not yet detectable Insufficient duration. Bone remodeling cycles take 4–6 months. Markers improve but structural changes haven't consolidated. 6 months 60–90% above baseline +25–35% +0.8–1.2% (lumbar spine) Minimum effect
This comparison does not assign a generated winner or score.
- 3 months
- 50–70% above baseline
- +15–20%
- Not yet detectable
- Insufficient duration. Bone remodeling cycles take 4–6 months. Markers improve but structural changes haven't consolidated.
- 6 months
- 60–90% above baseline
- +25–35%
- +0.8–1.2% (lumbar spine)
- Minimum effective duration for measurable density gains. First DEXA checkpoint should occur here.
- 12 months
- 60–90% sustained
- +30–40% sustained
- +1.5–2.0% (lumbar spine), +0.9–1.3% (femoral neck)
- Gold standard duration in clinical research. Gains plateau after 12–18 months as remodeling equilibrates.
- 24+ months continuous
- Additional +0.5–0.8% years 2–3
- Gains continue but at diminishing rate. Consider cycling off after 18–24 months unless treating clinical osteoporosis.
- Bone remodeling operates on 4–6 month cycles. The time required for osteoblasts to lay down new matrix and for that matrix to fully mineralize. Protocols shorter than 6 months won't produce DEXA-visible changes even if serum markers improve. The 12-month duration used in most clinical trials isn't arbitrary. It captures two full remodeling cycles, which is when trabecular bone (the spongy inner bone most vulnerable to osteoporosis) shows the greatest density response.