The effects of high potassium consumption on bone mineral density in a prospective cohort study of elderly postmenopausal women

Summary  Few studies have investigated the long-term effects of potassium intake on BMD. In a cohort of 266 elderly women, we found that baseline potassium intake as reflected by 24-hour urine potassium excretion had positive association with BMD measured at 1 and/or 5 years later, suggesting a role of dietary potassium on osteoporosis prevention. Introduction  High dietary potassium intake has been suggested to be beneficial for bone structure, but few studies have investigated the long-term effects of potassium intake on BMD in elderly women. We examined the relationship between potassium intake as reflected by 24-hour urine potassium excretion and bone density in a cohort of elderly women. Methods  The study subjects were 266 elderly postmenopausal women aged 70–80 years. Twenty-four-hour urinary potassium excretion was determined at baseline. At one year hip DXA BMD was measured, at 5 years hip and total body DXA BMD and distal radius and tibia pQCT vBMD were measured. The effects of potassium were evaluated by ANCOVA according to the quartile of baseline urinary potassium excretion. Results  After adjustment for confounding factors, subjects in the highest quartile of urinary potassium excretion had significantly higher total hip BMD at 1 (5%) and 5 years (6%), and significantly higher total body BMD (4%) and 4% distal tibia total (7%) and trabecular vBMD (11%) at 5 years than those in the lowest quartile. Conclusions  Potassium intake shows positive association with bone density in elderly women, suggesting that increasing consumption of food rich in potassium may play a role in osteoporosis prevention.     

Contribution of Serum Inflammatory Markers to Changes in Bone Mineral Content and Density in Postmenopausal Women: A 1-Year Investigation

Bone formation and resorption are influenced by inflammatory processes. We examined the relationships among inflammatory markers and bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) and determined the contribution of inflammatory markers to 1-yr changes in BMC and BMD in healthy postmenopausal women. This analysis included 242 women at baseline from our parent Soy Isoflavones for Reducing Bone Loss project who were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: placebo, 80 mg/d soy isoflavones, or 120 mg/d soy isoflavones. BMD and BMC from the lumbar spine (LS), total proximal femur (hip), and whole body were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and the 4% distal tibia by peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Serum inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α], and white blood cell count [WBC]) were measured at baseline, 6, and 12 mo. Because of attrition or missing values, data analysis at 12 mo includes only 235 women. Significant associations among IL-6, TNF-α, and WBC were observed with percent change in LS, hip, and whole body BMC and BMD. Multiple regression analysis indicated that in combination inflammatory markers accounted for 1.1–6.1% of the variance to the observed 12-mo changes in BMC and BMD. Our results suggest that modifying inflammatory markers, even in healthy postmenopausal women, may possibly reduce bone loss.     

Soy Isoflavones May Protect Against Orchidectomy-Induced Bone Loss in Aged Male Rats

Evidence from several studies suggests that soy protein and/or its isoflavones may have beneficial effects on bone in postmenopausal women and animal models who have osteoporosis. The present study examined the dose-dependent effects of soy isoflavones in the context of soy protein or casein on the male skeleton. Thirteen-month-old male Fisher 344 rats were orchidectomized (ORX; 5 groups) or sham-operated (Sham; 1 group) and immediately placed on dietary treatments for 180 days. Diets were semi-purified and the protein source was either casein (Sham and ORX; controls), casein with two added doses of isoflavones (Iso1; 600 mg/kg diet and Iso2; 1200 mg/kg diet), soy protein with normal isoflavones content (Soy; 600 mg/kg diet), or soy protein with added isoflavones (Soy+; 1200 mg/kg diet). A 7% loss of whole body bone mineral density (BMD) was observed due to orchidectomy; however, the ORX induced BMD loss was significantly reduced to 4.3 and 4.7 % with the Soy and Soy+, respectively. Both doses of isoflavones in conjunction with casein also reduced the loss of whole body BMD, albeit not significantly different from ORX control animals. Trabecular bone histomorphometric analysis of the proximal tibia further supported the bone-sparing role of soy isoflavones as indicated by higher percent bone volume and trabecular number, and lower trabecular separation. We conclude that isoflavones exert modest beneficial effects on the male skeleton whether provided with casein or a soy protein.     

Bone density of the radius,spine, and hip in relation to percent of ideal body weight in postmenopausal women

Summary Bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine (L2–L4) and hip (at femoral neck, Ward's triangle, and greater trochanter sites) were determined by dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA), and of the radius by single-photon absorptiometry (SPA) in healthy postmenopausal women aged 40–70 years. The relationships of BMC and BMD to years since menopause were examined separately in 97 women who were above 115% of ideal body weight (IBW) and in 128 women below. The heavier women had significantly greater mean BMC and BMD at each site than did the normal-weight women. In the normal-weight women, there was a significant negative correlation between BMD and years since menopause at each measurement site except the greater trochanter. In the obese women, BMD decreased with increasing years since menopause at the radius site only and BMC declined with increasing years after menopause at the hip (femoral neck and Ward's triangle region) as well as the radius. Thus, body size is a significant determinant of BMD in this population. The pattern of loss of BMD from Ward's triangle and femoral neck regions of hip are similar to that of the spine. The BMC and BMD findings in the hip suggest that remodeling occurs at this weight-bearing site which has a favorable effect on bone strength.     

Change in bone mineral density and its determinants in pre- and perimenopausal Chinese women: the Hong Kong perimenopausal women osteoporosis study

Summary  This 30-month study investigating bone change and its determinants in 438 perimenopausal Chinese women revealed that the fastest bone loss occurred in women undergoing menopausal transition but maintenance of body weight and physical fitness were beneficial for bone health. Soy protein intake also seemed to exert a protective effect. Introduction  This 30-month follow-up study aims to investigate change in bone mineral density and its determinants in Hong Kong Chinese perimenopausal women. Methods  Four hundred and thirty-eight women aged 45 to 55 years were recruited through random telephone dialing and primary care clinic. Bone mass, body composition, lifestyle measurements were obtained at baseline and at 9-, 18- and 30-month follow-ups. Univariate and stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed with the regression coefficients of BMD/C (derived from baseline and follow-up measurements) as the outcome variables. Menopausal status was classified as pre- or postmenopausal or transitional. Results  Menopausal status was the strongest determinant of bone changes. An annual bone loss of about 0.5% was observed among premenopausal, 2% to 2.5% among transitional, and about 1.5% in postmenopausal women. Multiple regression analyses, revealed that a positive regression slope of body weight was protective for follow-up bone loss at all sites. Number of pregnancy, soy protein intake and walking were protective for total body BMC. Higher baseline LM was also protective for neck of femur BMD. Conclusion  Maintenance of body weight and physical fitness were observed to have a protective effect on for bone loss in Chinese perimenopausal women.     

Soy intake and the maintenance of peak bone mass in Hong Kong Chinese women.

Our previous study on bone health among premenopausal women showed that bone mass consolidation is attained by the early 30s, and small loss of spinal bone mineral density (SBMD) occurs soon after peak bone mass attainment. Recent interest has been shown in the potential beneficial effects of phytoestrogens on bone health. However, data are lacking, particularly in Asian women. This study aims to investigate the effect of soy isoflavones intake on the maintenance of peak bone mass in a cohort of 132 women aged 30-40 years who were followed up for 3 years. Baseline measurements of SBMD (L2-L4) were obtained using dual-energy X-ray densitometry, and dietary intake of soy foods and other key nutrients, including dietary calcium, were obtained through a quantitative food frequency method. Information on body measurements; physical activity (PA), weight-bearing activity in particular; age of menarche; and number of pregnancies were obtained at baseline. Repeated measurements of SBMD were obtained yearly for a further 3 years with an average follow-up time of 38 months. Analyses were performed on 116 subjects with at least three SBMD measurements (at baseline, 3-year follow-up, and at least one measurement during follow-up). The individual SBMD regression slope was computed for each of the subjects. Soy isoflavones consumption was categorized as quartiles of intake. We observed a significant difference in the SBMD individual regression slopes between women belonging to the fourth and first soy isoflavones intake quartiles. The positive effect of soy isoflavones on SBMD remained after adjusting for age and body size (height, weight, and bone area). Multiple linear regression analysis including the other known covariates (lean body mass, PA, energy adjusted calcium, and follow-up time) showed that soy isoflavones, together with these variables, accounted for 24% of the variances of the SBMD individual regression slope. This longitudinal study shows that soy intake had a significant effect on the maintenance of SBMD in women aged 30-40 years. The effects of phytoestrogens on bone health should be explored further in a population with habitual dietary soy but low calcium intake.     

Association between caffeine intake and bone mass among young women: potential effect modification by depot medroxyprogesterone acetate use

Summary This study assessed associations between habitual caffeine intake and bone mass among young women. Analyses of the entire study population revealed no significant associations, while analyses restricted to women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) showed modest inverse associations between caffeine intake and bone mineral content (BMC). Introduction Some previous investigations among postmenopausal women suggest an inverse relationship between caffeine intake and bone mass, yet studies of this association among young women are few. Methods The association between habitual caffeine intake and bone mass was evaluated prospectively in a population-based cohort of 625 females, aged 14 to 40 years, adjusting for relevant biological and lifestyle factors. Caffeinated beverage intake was self-reported, and bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured at baseline and every 6 months throughout a 24-month follow-up period using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results Cross-sectional analyses revealed no significant differences in mean BMC or BMD at baseline. Mean percentage and absolute changes in BMC and BMD were not associated with caffeine use. Repeated measures analyses similarly showed no significant association between caffeine intake at baseline and mean BMC or BMD measured during follow-up. However, among women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), modest inverse associations between caffeine and BMC (but not BMD) were detected. Conclusions Our data suggest that heavy habitual consumption of caffeinated beverages does not adversely impact bone mass among young women in general. Greater caffeine intake may be associated with lower BMC among DMPA users. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Familial aggregation of bone mineral density and bone mineral content in a Chinese population

Familial aggregation of bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) has been shown in twin and familial studies, but most sample sizes were small. We here report a large familial aggregation study in a Chinese population. A total of 13,973 siblings aged 25–64 years from 3,882 families were enrolled from Anhui, China. We assessed the whole-body, hip and lumbar spine BMD and BMC by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Intra-class correlation coefficients of BMD and BMC between siblings varied among different skeletal sites and between different age groups of male sib-pairs and premenopausal and postmenopausal female sib-pairs, with a range of 0.228 to 0.397. The sibling recurrence risk ratio (s) of osteoporosis was 2.6 in our population. We also evaluated the joint association of the BMD values of the first siblings and the second siblings with the risk of low BMD (defined as less than the 10th percentile of the same group population) of their younger siblings. If both the first and second siblings BMDs were in the lowest tertile, the odd ratios (ORs) of low BMD in their subsequent siblings were 8.32 [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.59–12.39)], 8.71 (95% CI 5.74–13.22) and 5.90 (95% CI 3.57–9.76) for total body, total hip and lumbar spine, respectively. This study demonstrates a significant familial aggregation of BMD and BMC in a large sample of rural Chinese adults.     

Bone status of Indian women from a low-income group and its relationship to the nutritional status

Indian women from low-income groups consume diets that have inadequate calcium coupled with too few calories, proteins and micronutrients. Hospital-based data suggest that these women have osteoporotic hip fractures at a much earlier age than Western women. Studies reporting bone parameters of the Indian population involving large sample sizes are not available. This study was therefore carried out with 289 women in the 30–60-year age group to estimate the prevalence of osteoporosis and measure the bone parameters by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Their mean (± SD) age was 41.0±8.60 years. Their mean (± SD) height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were 149.1±5.49 cm, 49.2±9.85 kg and 22.1±3.99, respectively. Dietary intake of calcium was estimated to be 270±57 mg/day. The prevalence of osteoporosis at the femoral neck was around 29%. Bone mineral density (BMD) and T scores at all the skeletal sites were much lower than the values reported from the developed countries and were indicative of a high prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis. BMD showed a decline after the age of 35 years in cases of the lumbar spine and femoral neck. This was largely due to a decrease of bone mineral content (BMC). The nutritional status of women appears to be an important determinant of bone parameters. BMD and BMC at all the skeletal sites and whole body increased significantly with increasing body weight and BMI of women (P<0.05). However, bone area (BA) did not change with an increase in BMI. In the multiple regression analysis, apart from body weight, age, menopause and calcium intake were the other important determinants of BMD (P<0.05). In addition to these, height was also an important determinant of WB-BMC. This study highlights the urgent need for measures to improve the nutritional status, dietary calcium intake and thus the bone health of this population.All the authors were affiliated with the National Institute of Nutrition during the study period.     

Areal and volumetric bone mineral density and geometry at two levels of protein intake during caloric restriction: A randomized,controlled trial

Weight reduction induces bone loss by several factors, and the effect of higher protein (HP) intake during caloric restriction on bone mineral density (BMD) is not known. Previous study designs examining the longer‐term effects of HP diets have not controlled for total calcium intake between groups and have not examined the relationship between bone and endocrine changes. In this randomized, controlled study, we examined how BMD (areal and volumetric), turnover markers, and hormones [insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1), IGF‐binding protein 3 (IGFBP‐3), 25‐hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and estradiol] respond to caloric restriction during a 1‐year trial using two levels of protein intake. Forty‐seven postmenopausal women (58.0 ± 4.4 years; body mass index of 32.1 ± 4.6 kg/m²) completed the 1‐year weight‐loss trial and were on a higher (HP, 24%, n = 26) or normal protein (NP, 18%, n = 21) and fat intake (28%) with controlled calcium intake of 1.2 g/d. After 1 year, subjects lost 7.0% ± 4.5% of body weight, and protein intake was 86 and 60 g/d in the HP and NP groups, respectively. HP compared with NP diet attenuated loss of BMD at the ultradistal radius, lumbar spine, and total hip and trabecular volumetric BMD and bone mineral content of the tibia. This is consistent with the higher final values of IGF‐1 and IGFBP‐3 and lower bone‐resorption marker (deoxypyridinoline) in the HP group than in the NP group (p < .05). These data show that a higher dietary protein during weight reduction increases serum IGF‐1 and attenuates total and trabecular bone loss at certain sites in postmenopausal women. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.     

A high dietary calcium intake is needed for a positive effect on bone density in Swedish postmenopausal women

The importance of dietary calcium for bone health is unclear, partly since most investigations have dealt only with a fairly narrow range of calcium intake. In the present population-based observational study with longitudinal dietary assessment, we investigated women with a mean age of 60 years and with a consistently high (range 1417–2417, mean 1645 mg,n=40), intermediate (800–1200, mean 1006 mg,n=35) or low (400–550, mean 465 mg,n=40) estimated daily consumption of calcium. Measurements of bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total body were performed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, as well as ultrasound of the heel. In a multivariate analysis, with adjustment for energy intake the risk factors for osteoporosis (age, body mass index, physical activity, menopausal age, use of estrogens, smoking and former athletic activity), the group with the highest calcium intake had higher values for BMD than the others at all measured sites. The average mean difference compared with the low and the intermediate calcium group was 11% for the femoral neck, 8–11% for the lumbar spine and 5–6% for total body BMDs. In univariate analyses and multivariate models which did not include energy intake, the differences between the groups were less pronounced. The women in the intermediate calcium group had approximately the same mean BMD values as those in the low calcium group. These findings support the view that only a high calcium intake (3% highest percentiles in the studied population) protects against osteoporosis in Swedish postmenopausal women.     

绝经后肥胖女性骨密度与血管内皮功能的关系研究

目的 探讨绝经后肥胖女性中骨密度(BMD)与血管内皮功能的相关性.方法 选择自然绝经1～5年的单纯肥胖者(体重指数≥25kg/m2),年龄40～55岁,按照双能X线检测结果选择正常骨量组39例,骨量减少组37例和骨质疏松组19例.所有受试者测定体脂、BMD、骨矿含量(BMC)和血管内皮功能,包括血流介导的内皮依赖性血管舒张(EDD)和硝酸甘油介导的非内皮依赖性血管舒张.结果 骨质疏松组平均年龄和平均绝经时间显著高于正常骨量组和骨量减少组(P<0.05或P<0.01).骨质疏松组及骨量减少组BMD和BMC均显著低于正常骨量组(P<0.05或P<0.01).骨质疏松组EDD显著低于正常体重组和骨量减少组(分别为5.45±2.99、7.76±3.70和7.32±3.41,均P<0.05).相关分析显示各部位的BMD、BMC均与EDD相关(P<0.05和P<0.01).结论 肥胖女性绝经后骨质疏松与血管内皮功能异常有关,对绝经后肥胖女性低骨量人群干预治疗可能有助于防治动脉硬化及心血管疾病.     

双能X线吸收法测量252例正常人BMD结果分析

２５２例正常人，男性１１７例，女性１３５例，年龄范围２０～７８岁，每１０岁为一个年龄组。用ＳＰＡ测量桡骨ＢＭＤ，用ＤＥＸＡ测量腰椎、左右髋骨ＢＭＤ及全身ＢＭＣ，结果表明桡骨、腰椎及全身的峰值骨量年龄在３０～３９岁，股骨颈、ｗａｎｄ＇ｓ三角的峰值骨量年龄在２０～２９岁，没有性别差异。女性４０岁以后骨丢失速度明显快于男性，到６０岁时，桡骨、股骨颈、ｗａｒｄ＇ｓ三角ＢＭＤ及全身ＢＭＣ低于Ｔ评分临界值。男性７０岁时股骨颈骨丢失低于Ｔ评分临界值。     

Soy moderately improves microstructural properties without affecting bone mass in an ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosis

Soy protein is reported to prevent bone loss in both women and rat models of osteoporosis. However, the role of soy isoflavones on the trabecular microarchitectural properties needs to be explored. In the present study, we examined whether soy protein with graded doses of isoflavones reverses loss of bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), and trabecular microstructure in an ovariectomized (Ovx) osteopenic rat model. Seventy-eight 9-m old female Sprague-Dawley rats were either sham-operated (Sham; 1 group) or Ovx (5 groups) and fed a semi-purified casein-based diet. After 90 days, the occurrence of bone loss was confirmed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Thereafter, rats were assigned to the following treatments: Sham, Ovx (control), Ovx + 17beta-estradiol (E(2); 10 microg/kg body wt. twice per week), Ovx + soy protein depleted of isoflavones (Soy-; 0.06 mg isoflavones/g protein), Ovx + soy protein with normal isoflavone content (Soy; 3.55 mg isoflavones/g protein), and Ovx + isoflavone-enriched soy protein (Soy+; 7.10 mg isoflavones/g protein). After 125 days of treatment, rats were euthanized, and tibia and lumbar bones were collected for the assessment of BMD, BMC, and trabecular microarchitectural properties using X-ray microcomputed tomography. None of the treatments had an effect on BMD or microarchitectural properties of the lumbar vertebra. However, Soy treatment significantly increased tibial BMC and BMD by 10% and 4.5% compared with Ovx control, but the increase in BMD was not enough to reach the BMD levels of the Sham control group. The Soy+ diet positively affected the tibial architectural properties including trabecular thickness, separation, and number. In summary, our findings suggest that soy protein does not restore bone loss in osteopenic rats; however, higher doses of isoflavones may be required to reverse the loss of tibial microstructural properties.     

Birth Weight as a Predictor of Adult Bone Mass in Postmenopausal Women: The Rancho Bernardo Study

Understanding the determinants of adult bone mass may help to identify women for prevention of osteoporosis. We postulated that birth weight would predict low adult bone mass in old age. Subjects were 305 postmenopausal Caucasian women (mean age 70 years). Bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured at the wrist, forearm, hip and lumbar spine. Birth weight was assessed by self-report. Birth weight was positively correlated with BMC at the forearm (r= 0.15), hip (r= 0.12) and lumbar spine (r= 0.18), and the age-adjusted mean BMC increased significantly from the lowest to the highest birth weight tertile. Adjusting for adult weight diminished this association at the forearm and hip, but not at the spine. Adjustment for multiple other covariates, including height, did not materially change these associations. Adult weight and height were significantly correlated with birth weight (r= 0.19 and r= 0.24, respectively). Birth weight was not independently correlated with BMD. Birth weight was thus positively correlated with adult weight and BMC 70 years later. These findings suggest that low birth weight may be a marker for future low bone mass and that different mechanisms exist for establishing the adult bone envelope (estimated by BMC) versus its density (estimated by BMD). Received: 18 August 1999 / Accepted: 21 January 2000     

绝经后妇女骨质疏松性椎体骨折与腰椎骨密度的关系

目的探讨绝经后妇女骨质疏松性椎体骨折与腰椎骨密度的关系。方法选择骨质疏松性椎体骨折的绝经后妇女23例为骨折组,无椎体骨折的25例绝经后骨质疏松妇女为对照组。两组的年龄、绝经年限、身高、体重、体重指数差异无显著性,均行胸腰椎正侧位X线摄片。用双能X线吸收仪（DXA）测量的腰椎（L2-4）前后位骨密度（BMD）、骨矿含量（BMC）和T值。结果骨折组BMD、BMC和T值均低于对照组（P〈0.01）。结论腰椎BMD降低与绝经后妇女的骨质疏松性椎体骨折相关。绝经后骨质疏松妇女应重视BMD变化,预防椎体骨折的发生。     

重庆地区围绝经期与绝经后妇女骨密度及身体成分相关指标分析

目的 调查重庆地区围绝经期与绝经后妇女(5~10年）骨密度及相关身体成分指标,分析身体成分指标与骨密度的关系,为本地区骨质疏松的防治提供线索。方法 ①选取2017年于本院进行健康体检年龄≥45岁的妇女956名(排除相关原发疾病）,其中围绝经期510名,绝经后446名,并分别记录身高、体重,计算出体质量指数(body mass index, BMI）;②使用美国GE公司双能X线骨密度仪测定受试者腰椎1~4、左侧股骨颈、大转子、股骨干、全髋的骨密度以及全身脂肪、肌肉含量与骨矿含量。结果 一般情况分析发现,重庆地区围绝经期妇女身高明显高于绝经后妇女［分别为(156.81 ± 5.27) cm、(153.32 ±5.51) cm］,而体质量指数无明显差异。 绝经后妇女肌肉含量(37.91 ± 6.42) kg、脂肪含量(17.84 ± 2.16) kg、骨矿含量(1.58±0.41) kg均较围绝经期妇女 [(37.88 ± 6.15) kg、(19.21 ± 2.07) kg、(1.75±0.20) kg ]降低。绝经后妇女诊断骨质疏松与低骨量的比例分别为28.92%、41.03%,高于围绝经期妇女低骨量的发生率(28.63%)。围绝经期妇女腰椎1~4和左侧股骨颈、大转子、股骨干及全髋骨密度 (bone mineral density, BMD)明显高于绝经后妇女［分别是(1.0 959 ± 0.1 603) g/m2和(0.8 410 ± 0.1 606) g/m2,(0.8 178 ± 0.1 577) g/m2和(0.7 872 ± 0.1 585) g/m2,(0.6 946 ± 0.1 252) g/m2和(0.6 728±0.1 274) g/m2,(1.0 329 ± 0.1 712) g/m2和(1.0 030±0.1 737) g/m2,(0.8 773 ± 0.1 448) g/m2和(0.8 495 ± 0.1 478) g/m2］。结论 绝经后妇女髋部、腰椎等部位BMD均较围绝经期妇女明显降低;骨质疏松及低骨量的发生率随年龄增加显著升高;和围绝经期妇女相比,绝经后妇女全身脂肪含量偏低;BMD与全身肌肉含量呈正相关性。     

Dynamic loads are determinants of peak bone mass.

This study investigated the association between non-invasive measurements of bone mass and markers of dynamic and static hip joint loads in subjects expected to be at peak bone mass. The bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of three proximal femoral sites (neck, greater trochanter, and total) were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the peak external joint moments at the hip during walking and jogging were calculated from gait analyses of 31 normal human subjects ranging in age from 30 to 49 years (18 females, 13 males). Various multiple regression analyses were performed to determine how much of the variance in BMD and BMC was explained by height, body mass, and the peak hip joint moments. In total, the models explained up to 40% of the variance in BMD and 58% of the variance in BMC. Inclusion of height or body mass did not increase the explanatory power of the models for BMD and explained no more than 8% of the total variance in BMC once the joint moments from walking were allowed to enter the models. These data support the hypothesis that variance in peak bone mass is associated with variance in dynamic hip loads largely independent of the effect of static factors such as height and body mass.     

Age-related differences in total and regional bone mass: A cross-sectional study with DXA in 429 normal women

Total body bone mineral content (TBBMC), total body bone mineral density (TBBMD) and regional bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 429 normal women aged 15–83 years, of whom 242 were premenopausal and 187 postmenopausal. The population was divided into 5-year age groups. In the premenopausal women no changes in TBBMC, TBBMD or regional BMC and BMD were observed with age, and TBBMC and TBBMD values correlated well with body weight (p<0.001). Postmenopausal women showed an overall reduction in bone mass (p<0.001), more marked at the axial level than peripherally (1.6% vs. 0.8%/year). The values of TBBMC and TBBMD correlated well with chronological age, time since the onset of menopause and body weight (p<0.001). In these women age did not correlate with body weight, which suggests that postmenopausal bone mass loss depends more on chronological age and time since the onset of menopause than on other variables. The stability observed in bone mass values from ages 15–19 to menopause highlights the importance of stimulating the acquisition of an appropriate peak bone mass in women before adolescence begins.     

Bone density in relation to alcohol intake among men and women in the United States

Summary Studies of postmenopausal women have shown a positive association between BMD and alcohol intake. We found that BMD was higher in men, and possibly postmenopausal women, who drank alcohol compared with those who abstained. Drinking alcohol, but not binge drinking, may benefit bone health of men and postmenopausal women. Introduction Osteoporotic fractures account for over 2.5 million physician visits annually for persons ages ≥45 years in the United States. Studies of postmenopausal women show a positive association between bone mineral density (BMD) and alcohol intake, but for men and premenopausal women, the bone–alcohol relationship remains unclear. We examined the association between total hip (TH) and femoral neck (FN) BMD and alcohol intake of men and pre- and postmenopausal women. Methods We conducted multiple regression analyses using data from 13,512 persons ages ≥20 years from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994. Alcohol intake and binge drinking were measured by questionnaire and hip BMD by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Results Accounting for covariates, TH BMD was higher in men (n = 6,868) who had 5–29 (+2.1%, p < 0.01) and >29 drinking occasions/month (+1.7%, p < 0.05) than men who abstained. BMD of premenopausal women (n = 4,136) who drank alcohol did not differ from those who abstained. FN BMD was 3.8% higher in postmenopausal women (n = 2,043) who had >29 drinking occasions/month than those who abstained (p = 0.06). Binge drinking was not associated with BMD of men or women. Conclusions Drinking alcohol, but not binge drinking, appears to be beneficial to bone health of men and possibly postmenopausal women.