Benefit Bone Health Research Articles

Tocotrienol supplementation suppressed bone resorption and oxidative stress in postmenopausal osteopenic women: a 12-week randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial.

Tocotrienols (TT) have been shown to benefit bone health in ovariectomized animals, a model of postmenopausal women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 12-week TT supplementation on bone markers (serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), urine N-terminal telopeptide (NTX), serum soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (sRANKL), and serum osteoprotegerin (OPG)), urine calcium, and an oxidative stress biomarker (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)) in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. Eighty-nine postmenopausal osteopenic women (59.7 ± 6.8year, BMI 28.7 ± 5.7kg/m2) were randomly assigned to three groups: (1) placebo (430mg olive oil/day), (2) low TT (430mg TT/day, 70% purity), and (3) high TT (860mg TT/day, 70% purity). TT, an extract from annatto seed with 70% purity, consisted of 90% delta-TT and 10% gamma-TT. Overnight fasting blood and urine samples were collected at baseline, 6, and 12weeks for biomarker analyses. Eighty-seven subjects completed the 12-week study. Relative to the placebo group, there were marginal decreases in serum BALP level in the TT-supplemented groups over the 12-week study period. Significant decreases in urine NTX levels, serum sRANKL, sRANKL/OPG ratio, and urine 8-OHdG concentrations and a significant increase in BALP/NTX ratio due to TT supplementation were observed. TT supplementation did not affect serum OPG concentrations or urine calcium levels throughout the study period. There were no significant differences in NTX level, BALP/NTX ratio, sRANKL level, and sRANKL/OPG ratio between low TT and high TT groups. Twelve-week annatto-extracted TT supplementation decreased bone resorption and improved bone turnover rate via suppressing bone remodeling regulators in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. Such osteoprotective TT's effects may be, in part, mediated by an inhibition of oxidative stress. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02058420. Tocotrienols and bone health of postmenopausal women.

Correlates of high-impact physical activity measured objectively in older British adults.

BackgroundExposure to higher magnitude vertical impacts is thought to benefit bone health. The correlates of this high-impact physical activity (PA) in later life are unknown.MethodsParticipants were from the Cohort for Skeletal Health in Bristol and Avon, Hertfordshire Cohort Study and MRC National Survey of Health and Development. Associations of demographic, behavioural, physiological and psychological factors with vertical acceleration peaks ≥1.5 g (i.e. high-impact PA) from 7-day hip-worn accelerometer recordings were examined using linear regression.ResultsA total of 1187 participants (mean age = 72.7 years, 66.6% females) were included. Age, sex, education, active transport, self-reported higher impact PA, walking speed and self-rated health were independently associated with high-impact PA whereas BMI and sleep quality showed borderline independent associations. For example, differences in log-high-impact counts were 0.50 (P < 0.001) for men versus women and −0.56 (P < 0.001) for worst versus best self-rated health. Our final model explained 23% of between-participant variance in high impacts. Other correlates were not associated with high-impact activity after adjustment.ConclusionsBesides age and sex, several factors were associated with higher impact PA in later life. Our findings help identify characteristics of older people that might benefit from interventions designed to promote osteogenic PA.

Tocotrienols for bone health: a translational approach.

Osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease, is characterized by low bone mass and microstructural deterioration of bone tissue resulting in aggravated bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures. The trend of extended life expectancy is accompanied by a rise in the prevalence of osteoporosis and concomitant complications in the elderly population. Epidemiological evidence has shown an association between vitamin E consumption and the prevention of age-related bone loss in elderly women and men. Animal studies show that ingestion of vitamin E, especially tocotrienols, may benefit bone health in terms of maintaining higher bone mineral density and improving bone microstructure and quality. The beneficial effects of tocotrienols on bone health appear to be mediated via antioxidant/anti-inflammatory pathways and/or 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme Amechanisms. We discuss (1) an overview of the prevalence and etiology of osteoporosis, (2) types of vitamin E (tocopherols versus tocotrienols), (3) findings of tocotrienols and bone health from published in vitro and animal studies, (4) possible mechanisms involved in bone protection, and (5) challenges and future direction for research.

Exercise overcome adverse effects among prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy: An update meta-analysis.

Background:Prostate cancer (PCa) patients initiating androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) are suffering from adverse effects; exercise has been proposed as a treatment to relieve adverse effects of ADT, available meta-analysis has proved exercise improves quality of life, and therapy caused fatigue; recently, some high-quality trials have been conducted in order to get more assessment; we conduct an updated meta-analysis to evaluate feasibility that exercise relieves adverse effects in PCa patients initiating ADT.Materials and methods:A systematic article search was performed from Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed databases up to March 10, 2017. Outcomes included changes in body composition, physical function, bone health and cardiometabolic changes. We conduct subgroup analysis to analyze the duration and type of exercise correlated with the effect and calculated using standard mean difference (SMD) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI).Result:Fifteen studies involving 1135 patients were included in our meta-analysis, and significant positive effects were found in body strength (leg press (SMD: 0.78 (95%CI: 0.57–0.99, P <.00001, I2 = 0%)), chest press (SMD: 0.71 (95%CI: 0.50–0.92, P <.00001, I2 = 0%)), exercise tolerance (VO2 peak SMD: 0.35 (95%CI: 0.04–0.66, P = .03, I2 = 0%) in 6 months and SMD: 0.59 (95%CI: 0.16–1.03, P = .007, I2 = 0% over 6 months)), fatigue (SMD: 0.84 (95%CI: −1.43 to 3.10, P = .85, I2 = 51%) in 6 months and SMD: −9.3 (95%CI: −16.22 to −2.39, P = .0030, I2 = 49%) over 6 months)), ADT-caused obesity (body mass index SMD: −0.33 (95%CI: −0.55 to −0.12, P = .002, I2 = 38% in 6 months and SMD: −0.59 95%CI: −1.02 to 0.17, P = .006, I2 = 25% over 6 months)), and sex function (SMD: 0.66 (95%CI: 0.35–0.97, P <.00001, I2 = 2%). There were no evidence of benefit for cardiometabolic changes and bone health. No systematic difference was observed between resistance exercise training (RET) and aerobic exercise training (AET) in ADT-caused obesity, fatigue, and exercise toleranceConclusion:Exercise can significantly improve the upper and lower muscle strength, increase exercise tolerance, help PCa patients receiving ADT control their body fat mass, BMI, and keep the sex function. ADT-related fatigue is correlated with exercise duration time. No differences were observed in LBM, bone mineral density, and any other metabolic blood markers. Available data show that there is no difference between AET and RET.

Greater Intake of Fruit and Vegetables Is Associated with Greater Bone Mineral Density and Lower Osteoporosis Risk in Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults.

ObjectiveA few studies have suggested that the consumption of fruit and vegetables (FV) may benefit bone health, but limited data are available in Asian subjects. We examined the association between FV intake and bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis in Chinese adults.MethodsThis population-based cross-sectional study involved 2083 women and 1006 men aged 40–75 years in Guangzhou, China. Habitual dietary data was collected from a 79-item food frequency questionnaire by face-to-face interviews. The BMD was measured for the whole body (WB), lumbar spine (LS), total hip (TH) and femur neck (FN) with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.ResultsAfter adjustment for potential covariates, we observed dose-dependent associations between total FV intake and BMD and osteoporosis risk. The mean BMD was higher in tertile 3 vs. tertile 1 by 1.33% (TH) and 1.31% (FN) for FV, and 1.10% (WB), 1.57% (TH), and 2.05% (FN) for fruit (all P-trends < 0.05). Significant beneficial associations with BMD at some sites were also found in most fruit categories but not in total vegetables or their subgroups. The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of osteoporosis (T-score ≤ −2.5) in tertile 3 (vs. 1) were 0.73 (0.58–0.92), 0.37 (0.22–0.60), and 0.71 (0.52–0.97) for FV; 0.82 (0.66–1.03), 0.48 (0.30–0.77) and 0.89 (0.61–1.12) for fruit; and 0.80 (0.64–1.01), 0.57 (0.35–0.92) and 0.76 (0.55–1.05) for vegetables at the LS, TH, and FN, respectively. The favorable association between FV intake and the occurrence of osteoporosis was evident only in subjects with lower BMI (<24.0 kg/m2, P-trends < 0.05).ConclusionsGreater intake of FV was independently associated with a higher BMD and a lower presence of osteoporosis in middle-aged and elderly Chinese subjects with lower BMI. Fruit tended to have more contribution to the favorable association than vegetables.

Adherence to the 2006 American Heart Association's Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations for cardiovascular disease risk reduction is associated with bone mineral density in older Chinese.

Accumulating evidence shows that cardiovascular disease (CVD) and osteoporosis are associated with each other, yet little research has focused on whether strategies to reduce CVD risk could also benefit bone health. We aimed to assess the association between adherence to the modified 2006 American Heart Association Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations (AHA-DLR) and BMD in Chinese adults. We included 2092 women and 1051 men aged 40-75years in this community-based cross-sectional study. Dietary information was assessed using a 79-item food frequency survey through face-to-face interviews at baseline (2008-2010) and 3years later (2011-2013). Adherence to the AHA-DLR was assessed using modified diet and lifestyle scores (American Heart Association Diet and Lifestyle Score (AHA-DLS)) adjusted for bone health. BMD for the whole body, lumbar spine, total hip, femur neck, and trochanter sites was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 2011-2013. After adjusting for potential covariates, greater adherence to the modified AHA-DLS was positively and dose-dependently associated with BMD. The mean BMD was 1.93-3.11% higher in quartile 4 (vs. 1) (all p values <0.01) at multiple sites. Five-unit increases in the modified AHA-DLS score were associated with 4.20-6.07, 4.44-8.51, and 3.36-4.67mg/cm2 increases in BMD at multiple sites for the total subjects, males, and females, respectively (all p values <0.01). Better adherence to the AHA-DLR shows protective associations with BMD at multiple sites in the middle-aged and elderly Chinese population.

Bone Health in Athletes.

Context:The health of the skeletal system is important for athletes young and old. From the early benefits of exercise on bones to the importance of osteoporosis prevention and treatment, bone health affects the ability to be active throughout life.Evidence Acquisition:PubMed articles dating from 1986 to 2016 were used for the review. Relevant terms such as keywords and section titles of the article were searched and articles identified were reviewed for relevance to this article.Study Design:Clinical review.Level of Evidence:Levels 1 through 4 evidence included.Results:There is strong evidence that exercise benefits bone health at every age and is a critical factor in osteoporosis prevention and treatment. Vitamin D, calcium, and hormones play vital roles in ensuring optimal bone health. When there is an imbalance between exercise and nutrition, as seen in the female athlete triad, bone health is compromised and can lead to bone stress injuries and early osteoporosis. Both of these can lead to morbidity and lost time from training and competition. Thus, early recognition and appropriate treatment of the female athlete triad and other stress fracture risk factors are vital to preventing long-term bone health problems.Conclusion:To optimize bone health, adequate nutrition, appropriate weightbearing exercise, strength training, and adequate calcium and vitamin D are necessary throughout life.

Tea flavonoids for bone health: from animals to humans.

Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease characterized by a deterioration of bone mass and bone quality that predisposes an individual to a higher risk of fragility fractures. Emerging evidence has shown that the risk for low bone mass and osteoporosis-related fractures can be reduced by nutritional approaches aiming to improve bone microstructure, bone mineral density, and strength. Tea and its flavonoids, especially those of black tea and green tea, have been suggested to protect against bone loss and to reduce risk of fracture, due to tea's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Based on the results of animal studies, moderate intake of tea has shown to benefit bone health as shown by mitigation of bone loss and microstructural deterioration as well as improvement of bone strength and quality. Epidemiological studies have reported positive, insignificant, and negative impacts on bone mineral density at multiple skeletal sites and risk of fracture in humans with habitual tea consumption. There are limited human clinical trials that objectively and quantitatively assessed tea consumption and bone efficacy using validated outcome measures in a population at high risk for osteoporosis, along with safety monitoring approach. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of laboratory animal research, epidemiological observational studies, and clinical trials assessing the skeletal effects of tea and its active flavonoids, along with discussion of relevant future directions in translational research.

Optimization of roasting conditions through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Yak-kong (Rhynchosia nulubilis).

The effects of roasting conditions on the antioxidant activities and anti-inflammatory activities of roasted yak-kong were investigated using a second-order central composite design. The optimum conditions for DPPH radical scavenging ability (IC50), ABTS radical scavenging activity (IC50), total phenolic content (TPC), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) were at 111.47°C for 20.45 min, with the best values (DPPH, IC50; 2.143 mg/mL, ABTS, IC50; 1.775 mg/mL, TPC; 51.39mg tannic acid (TAE)/g, and ORAC; 6.89 μmoL trolox equivalents (TE)/g). The optimum conditions of nitric oxide (NO) production, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were at 110.24°C for 21.18 min, yielding the best values (NO; 14.484 μM, PGE2; 3.433 mg/mL, and TNF-α; 3.818 ng/mL). Superimposed contour plots with regard to 7 variables indicated that the optimum roasting temperature and time were 110.88°C and 20.86 min. This result suggested that the optimally roasted yak-kong could replace coffee beans to provide potential bone health benefits to heavy coffee drinkers.

Osteoporosis: Modern Paradigms for Last Century’s Bones

The skeleton is a metabolically active organ undergoing continuously remodelling. With ageing and menopause the balance shifts to increased resorption, leading to a reduction in bone mineral density and disruption of bone microarchitecture. Bone mass accretion and bone metabolism are influenced by systemic hormones as well as genetic and lifestyle factors. The classic paradigm has described osteoporosis as being a “brittle bone” disease that occurs in post-menopausal, thin, Caucasian women with low calcium intakes and/or vitamin D insufficiency. However, a study of black women in Africa demonstrated that higher proportions of body fat did not protect bone health. Isoflavone interventions in Asian postmenopausal women have produced inconsistent bone health benefits, due in part to population heterogeneity in enteric bacterial metabolism of daidzein. A comparison of women and men in several Asian countries identified significant differences between countries in the rate of bone health decline, and a high incidence rate of osteoporosis in both sexes. These studies have revealed significant differences in genetic phenotypes, debunking long-held beliefs and leading to new paradigms in study design. Current studies are now being specifically designed to assess genotype differences between Caucasian, Asian, African, and other phenotypes, and exploring alternative methodology to measure bone architecture.

Advances in the Classification and Treatment of Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare disorder of type 1 collagen with 13 currently identified types attributable to inherited abnormalities in type 1 collagen amount, structure, or processing. The disease is characterized by an increased susceptibility to bony fracture. In addition to the skeletal phenotype, common additional extraskeletal manifestations include blue sclerae, dentinogenesis imperfecta, vascular fragility, and hearing loss. Medical management is focused on minimizing the morbidity of fractures, pain, and bone deformities by maximizing bone health. Along with optimizing Vitamin D status and calcium intake and physical/occupational therapy, individualized surgical treatment may be indicated. Pharmacological therapy with bisphosphonate medications is now routinely utilized for moderate to severe forms and appears to have a good safety profile and bone health benefits. New therapies with other anti-resorptives as well as anabolic agents and transforming growth factor (TGF)β antibodies are in development. Other potential treatment modalities could include gene therapy or mesenchymal cell transplant. In the future, treatment choices will be further individualized in order to reduce disease morbidity and mortality.

Greater access to fast-food outlets is associated with poorer bone health in young children.

A healthy diet positively influences childhood bone health, but how the food environment relates to bone development is unknown. Greater neighbourhood access to fast-food outlets was associated with lower bone mass among infants, while greater access to healthy speciality stores was associated with higher bone mass at 4 years. Identifying factors that contribute to optimal childhood bone development could help pinpoint strategies to improve long-term bone health. A healthy diet positively influences bone health from before birth and during childhood. This study addressed a gap in the literature by examining the relationship between residential neighbourhood food environment and bone mass in infants and children. One thousand one hundred and seven children participating in the Southampton Women's Survey, UK, underwent measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) at birth and 4 and/or 6 years by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Cross-sectional observational data describing food outlets within the boundary of each participant's neighbourhood were used to derive three measures of the food environment: the counts of fast-food outlets, healthy speciality stores and supermarkets. Neighbourhood exposure to fast-food outlets was associated with lower BMD in infancy (β = -0.23 (z-score): 95% CI -0.38, -0.08) and lower BMC after adjustment for bone area and confounding variables (β = -0.17 (z-score): 95% CI -0.32, -0.02). Increasing neighbourhood exposure to healthy speciality stores was associated with higher BMD at 4 and 6 years (β = 0.16(z-score): 95% CI 0.00, 0.32 and β = 0.13(z-score): 95% CI -0.01, 0.26 respectively). The relationship with BMC after adjustment for bone area and confounding variables was statistically significant at 4 years, but not at 6 years. The neighbourhood food environment that pregnant mothers and young children are exposed may affect bone development during early childhood. If confirmed in future studies, action to reduce access to fast-food outlets could have benefits for childhood development and long-term bone health.

Effects of Dairy Products Consumption on Health: Benefits and Beliefs--A Commentary from the Belgian Bone Club and the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases.

Dairy products provide a package of essential nutrients that is difficult to obtain in low-dairy or dairy-free diets, and for many people it is not possible to achieve recommended daily calcium intakes with a dairy-free diet. Despite the established benefits for bone health, some people avoid dairy in their diet due to beliefs that dairy may be detrimental to health, especially in those with weight management issues, lactose intolerance, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or trying to avoid cardiovascular disease. This review provides information for health professionals to enable them to help their patients make informed decisions about consuming dairy products as part of a balanced diet. There may be a weak association between dairy consumption and a possible small weight reduction, with decreases in fat mass and waist circumference and increases in lean body mass. Lactose intolerant individuals may not need to completely eliminate dairy products from their diet, as both yogurt and hard cheese are well tolerated. Among people with arthritis, there is no evidence for a benefit to avoid dairy consumption. Dairy products do not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly if low fat. Intake of up to three servings of dairy products per day appears to be safe and may confer a favourable benefit with regard to bone health.

Impact of Vitamin D Supplementation on Gross Motor Development of Healthy Term Infants: A Randomized Dose-Response Trial

ABSTRACTIn addition to benefits for bone health, vitamin D is implicated in muscle function in children and adults. Aims: To determine if vitamin D dosage positively correlated with gross motor development at 3 and 6 months of age. We hypothesized that higher doses would be associated with higher scores for gross motor skills. Methods: A consecutive sample of 55 healthy, term, and breastfed infants from Montreal, Canada were recruited from a randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation between 2009 and 2012. Infants were randomized to 400 International Units (IU) (n = 19), 800 IU (n = 18) or 1,200 IU (n = 18) vitamin D3/day. Motor performance at 3 and 6 months was quantified by the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). Plasma vitamin D3 metabolites were measured by tandem mass spectrometry. Results: AIMS scores did not differ at 3 months. However, total AIMS scores and sitting subscores were significantly higher at 6 months in infants receiving 400 IU/day compared to 800 IU/day and 1,200 IU/day groups (p < .05). There were weak negative correlations with length and C-3 epimer of 25(OH)D. Conclusions: In contrast to our hypothesis, gross motor achievements were significantly higher in infants receiving 400 IU/day vitamin D. Our findings also support longer infants being slightly delayed.

Loss of Bone and Wnt10b Expression in Male Type 1 Diabetic Mice Is Blocked by the Probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D)-induced osteoporosis is characterized by a predominant suppression of osteoblast number and activity, as well as increased bone marrow adiposity but no change in osteoclast activity. The fundamental mechanisms and alternative anabolic treatments (with few side effects) for T1D bone loss remain undetermined. Recent studies by our laboratory and others indicate that probiotics can benefit bone health. Here, we demonstrate that Lactobacillus reuteri, a probiotic with anti-inflammatory and bone health properties, prevents T1D-induced bone loss and marrow adiposity in mice. We further found that L. reuteri treatment prevented the suppression of Wnt10b in T1D bone. Consistent with a role for attenuated bone Wnt10b expression in T1D osteoporosis, we observed that bone-specific Wnt10b transgenic mice are protected from T1D bone loss. To examine the mechanisms of this protection, we focused on TNF-α, a cytokine up-regulated in T1D that causes suppression of osteoblast Wnt10b expression in vitro. Addition of L. reuteri prevented TNF-α-mediated suppression of Wnt10b and osteoblast maturation markers. Taken together, our findings reveal a mechanism by which T1D causes bone loss and open new avenues for use of probiotics to benefit the bone.

Tea and bone health: Findings from human studies, potential mechanisms, and identification of knowledge gaps

ABSTRACTThe population of the developed world is aging. With this aging population, strategies for prevention rather than treatment of chronic disease, such as osteoporosis, are essential for preserving quality of life and reducing health care costs. Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world and is a rich source of flavonoids that may benefit bone health. There is strong evidence from human studies that habitual tea consumption is positively associated with higher BMD at multiple skeletal sites, while the association with fracture risk is less clear. Fracture studies demonstrate a reduction or no difference in fragility fracture with tea consumption. There are key questions that need to be answered in future studies to clarify if higher consumption of tea not only supports a healthy BMD, but also reduces the risk of fragility fracture. And if the latter relationship is shown to exist, studies to elucidate mechanisms can be designed and executed. This review discusses findings from epidemiological studies as well as potential mechanisms by which flavonoids in tea may mediate an effect, and identifies key knowledge gaps in this research area.

Calcium and health

An adequate intake of calcium is only not limited to avoid the risk of osteoporosis and its benefits in longterm bone health, but also it has been linked to protection against various major diseases, such as hypertension, cancer, kidney stones, insulin resistance, diabetes... and several investigations suggest its importance in preventing and controlling obesity. Studies conducted in Spanish representative samples show that a high percentage of adults and children (> 75%) don't achieve the recommended intake of calcium. Moreover, are growing trends among the population suggesting that calcium intake and dairy consumption (main food source of the mineral) are high, and even excessive, in many individuals. This misconception results in that the calcium intake is increasingly far from the recommended one. The maximum tolerable intake of the mineral is fixed at 2.500 mg/day, but this intake is unusual, and it's more disturbing and frequent, to find intakes below the recommended calcium intakes (1.000 and 1.200 mg/day in adults, men and women, respectively). Data from different studies highlight the risk of an inadequate calcium intake and the damages that may affect the health in a long term. It is not about transmitting indiscriminate guidelines in order to increase the intake of calcium / dairy, but the recommended intakes must be met to achieve both the nutritional and health benefits. Also activities for demystification of misconceptions are need, increasingly frequent, that may impair health population.

Dairy proteins in nutrition and food science: functional ingredients in the current global marketplace.

As the world population exponentially grows, food production must increase to supply adequate nutrition to meet basic needs and optimize health outcomes. Developing economies around the world are expected to increase in both size and wealth as the population continues to rise, creating a global demand for dairy products due to their nutritional value, flavor, and affordability (United Nations 2013). Dairy products are a feasible means to help meet the demands of a growing world market as well as the nutritional needs of the globalpopulation.Forinstance,dairyproductsprovideanadequate source of protein that can help meet daily protein requirements to maintain positive protein balance and prevent muscle loss. Dairy proteins are of the highest quality and are considered complete proteins that contain all essential amino acids necessary to support muscle growth and maintenance. Dairy proteins such as whey and casein, derived from milk, have been shown to be superior to other protein sources in stimulating and improving muscle protein synthesis under both resting and exercise conditions (Burd and others 2012), allowing dairy to be considered an optimal protein source for regulation of muscle mass throughout the human lifespan. In addition to the role dairy proteins play in daily muscle protein synthesis, additional benefits in bone and metabolic health have been attenuated by the consumption of dairy products. Dairy products (milk, cheese, and yogurt) and their milk proteins, when consumed as part of a higher protein diet, have been shown to promote satiety (Lorenzen and others 2012), enhance glycemic regulation (El Khoury and others 2014), reduce blood pressure (Machin and others 2014), and improve body composition by preserving or increasing lean muscle mass and enhancing the reduction of fat mass during weight loss and maintenance (Josse and others 2011). Also, when consumed as part of a higher-protein diet, dairy has been shown to further enhance calcium retention and bone integrity due to the high-quality protein and calcium content of dairy products (Thorpe MP and others 2008), thereby resulting in greater long-term bone health. These metabolic and health advantages of dairy protein have led the global food and beverage industry to isolate or concentrate the protein components from milk to incorporate as value-added ingredients in a variety of different food and beverages. Dairy proteins are versatile and used by product developers to produce

Fluoride in the UK diet.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that can be obtained from foods and fluids originating from soils containing fluoride, as well as by drinking water that has been fluoridated. While consuming adequate fluoride intake can deliver benefits for dental and bone health, there have been concerns that excessive fluoride intake could lead to dental fluorosis, or even cause harm to bones. This article considers the balance of evidence in this area, and discusses the benefits and potential risks of fluoride in the UK diet. The role of tea as a major contributor to normal fluoride intake is highlighted, alongside some positive implications of this. Information is also provided to help nurses and midwives communicate the latest advice and guidance on fluoride to their patients.

Calcium and vitamin D intake maintained from preovariectomy independently affect calcium metabolism and bone properties in Sprague Dawley rats.

The interaction of habitual Ca and vitamin D intake from preovariectomy to 4months postovariectomy on bone and Ca metabolism was assessed. Higher Ca intake suppressed net bone turnover, and both nutrients independently benefitted trabecular structure. Habitual intake of adequate Ca and ~50nmol/L vitamin D status is most beneficial. Dietary strategies to benefit bone are typically tested prior to or after menopause but not through menopause transition. We investigated the interaction of Ca and vitamin D status on Ca absorption, bone remodeling, Ca kinetics, and bone strength as rats transitioned through estrogen deficiency. Sprague Dawley rats were randomized at 8weeks to 0.2 or 1.0% Ca and 50, 100, or 1,000IU (1.25, 2.5, or 25μg) vitamin D/kg diet (2 × 3 factorial design) and ovariectomized at 12weeks. Urinary (45)Ca excretion from deep-labeled bone was used to assess net bone turnover weekly. Ca kinetics was performed between 25 and 28weeks. Rats were killed at 29weeks. Femoral and tibiae structure (by μCT), dynamic histomorphometry, and bone Ca content were assessed. Mean 25(OH)D for rats on the 50, 100, 1,000IU vitamin D/kg diet were 32, 54, and 175nmol/L, respectively. Higher Ca intake ameliorated net bone turnover, reduced fractional Ca absorption and bone resorption, and increased net Ca absorption. Tibial and femoral trabecular structures were enhanced independently by higher Ca and vitamin D intake. Tibial bone width and fracture resistance were enhanced by higher vitamin D intake. Dynamic histomorphometry in the tibia was not affected by either nutrient. A Ca × vitamin D interaction existed in femur length, tibial Ca content, and mass of the soft tissue/extracellular fluid compartment. Adequate Ca intake and serum 25(OH)D level of 50nmol/L provided the most benefit for bone health, mostly through independent effects of Ca and vitamin D.