Nutrition and bone: it is more than calcium and vitamin D.
Unlike pharmacological agents that are taken for proscribed periods of time, food and nutrient intakes have the possibility of affecting bone health over the entire lifespan. While deficiencies or excesses of individual nutrients have been shown to affect bone, it is likely that individual foods or dietary patterns have important effects related to skeletal health. While biochemical mechanisms exist to relate a deficiency of vitamin K to altered bone metabolism, clinical trials related to supplementation of this nutrient have been confusing. It is likely that these disparate results are related to the fact that interactions of nutrients have not been considered or the possibility that suboptimal nutrient status is a marker of poor nutritional status. Vitamin A excess has been postulated to be related to high fracture risk; however, it is likely that retinol is not the best marker for the proposed interaction. Altering whole food patterns, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, have demonstrated beneficial effects on bone metabolism. Individuals who select some vegetarian patterns may need to consider supplementation with nutrients such as calcium and protein. Future studies should center on whole food and dietary patterns and their relationship to bone metabolism and fracture risk.
Department of Nutrition Sciences & Department of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), The UAB Osteoporosis Prevention & Treatment Clinic and Bone Densitometry Service, 354 Learning Resources Center, 1714 9th Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35294-1270, USA. slmorgan@uab.edu
Sarah L
SL
Morgan
D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016387:Women's Health
D014801:Vitamin A; D014812:Vitamin K; D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium