Calcium supplementation and bone mineral density in adolescent girls.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of calcium supplementation on bone acquisition in adolescent white girls.


METHODS
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the effect of 18 months of calcium supplementation on bone density and bone mass.


METHODS
Ninety-four girls with a mean age of 11.9 + 0.5 years at study entry.


METHODS
University hospital in a small town.


METHODS
Calcium supplementation, 500 mg/d calcium as calcium citrate malate; controls received placebo pills.


METHODS
Bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the lumbar spine and total body were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and calcium excretion from 24-hour urine specimens.


RESULTS
Calcium intake from dietary sources averaged 960 mg/d for the entire study group. The supplemented group received, on average, an additional 354 mg/d of calcium. The supplemented group compared with the placebo group had greater increases of lumbar spine bone density (18.7% vs 15.8%; P = .03), lumbar spine bone mineral content (39.4% vs 34.7%; P = .06), total body bone mineral density (9.6% vs 8.3%; P = .05), and 24-hour urinary calcium excretion (90.4 vs 72.9 mg/d; P = .02), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing daily calcium intake from 80% of the recommended daily allowance to 110% via supplementation with calcium citrate malate resulted in significant increases in total body and spinal bone density in adolescent girls. The increase of 24 g of bone gain per year among the supplemented group translates to an additional 1.3% skeletal mass per year during adolescent growth, which may provide protection against future osteoporotic fracture.
Lloyd
T
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pennsylvania State University, M. S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey 17033.
Andon
M B
MB
Rollings
N
N
Martel
J K
JK
Landis
J R
JR
Demers
L M
LM
Eggli
D F
DF
Kieselhorst
K
K
Kulin
H E
HE
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015596:Nutrition Assessment
D002118:Calcium