Effect of calcium supplements on osteoporosis by using nuclear analytical techniques

Abstract

Neutron activation analysis (NAA) and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) have been used to study the effects of different calcium supplements on osteoporosis, including calcium carbonate, calcium threonate, calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, calcium acetate and a traditional Chinese medicine. Animal test results showed that calcium carbonate, calcium gluconate, calcium acetate and the Chinese medicine notably increased osteoporotic rat's femoral bone mineral density (BMD). Also, calcium carbonate, calcium acetate and the Chinese medicine significantly increased osteoporotic rat's vertebral BMD. But calcium L-threonate and calcium lactate had no such effects. Calcium gluconate, calcium acetate and the Chinese medicine improved the bone mechanical intensity of osteoporotic rats. The results of NAA showed that the loss of elements in spongy bones was more seriously than that in compact bone and was difficult to be improved.