Dietary calcium intake and bone loss from the spine in healthy postmenopausal women

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 46; no. 4; pp. 685 - 687
• Main Authors: Dawson-Hughes, B, Jacques, P, Shipp, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.10.1987; American Society for Clinical Nutrition
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Bone and Bones - metabolism; CALCIO; CALCIUM; Calcium - pharmacology; CONTENIDO DE CENIZA; Diet; DIETA; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Female; FEMME; HUESOS; Humans; Medical sciences; Menopause; Middle Aged; Minerals - metabolism; MUJERES; Nutritional Requirements; OSTEODISTROFIA; OSTEODYSTROPHIE; Osteoporosis. Osteomalacia. Paget disease; REGIME ALIMENTAIRE; Spine - metabolism; TENEUR EN CENDRES; Human; Osteoporosis; Metabolic disorder; Calcium; Spine; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Postmenopause; Bone disease; Woman; Feeding
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/46.4.685

Controversy exists over the relationship between calcium intake and axial bone loss. We measured bone density of the spine (L2–4) by dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) two times, 7 mo apart, in 76 healthy postmenopausal women aged 40–70 y. Ca intake was assessed by food-frequency questionnaire. Women with a Ca intake less than 405 mg/d lost spine density at a rate that was significantly greater than that of women with an intake greater than 777 mg/d, p = 0.026. There appears to be a threshold of Ca intake below which increased Ca in the diet is likely to be beneficial in reducing spine mineral loss.