title: Calcium and vitamin D supplementation through fortified dairy products counterbalances seasonal variations of bone metabolism indices: the Postmenopausal Health Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of a dietary intervention combined with fortified dairy products on bone metabolism and bone mass indices in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty postmenopausal women (55-65 years old) were equally randomized into a dietary group (DG), receiving daily and for 30 months, 1,200 mg of calcium and 7.5 μg of vitamin D(3) for the first 12 months that increased to 22.5 μg for the remaining 18 months of intervention through fortified dairy products; and a control group (CG). Differences in the changes of bone metabolism and bone mass indices were examined with repeated measures ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase was observed for PTH levels only in the CG during the first six winter months of intervention (p = 0.049). After 30 months of intervention, during winter, serum 25(OH)D significantly decreased in the CG while remained in the same high levels as in the summer period in the DG. Serum RANKL levels decreased significantly in the DG compared with the increase in the CG during the 30-month intervention period (p = 0.005). Serum CTx decreased significantly in the DG after six (-0.08; -0.12 to -0.03) and 12 (-0.03; -0.08 to -0.02) months of intervention. Finally, the DG had more favorable changes in total body BMD than the CG (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D in osteopenic postmenopausal women appears to be effective in producing favorable changes in several bone metabolism and bone mass indices and in counterbalancing seasonal variations in hormonal and biochemical molecules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Roxane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tenta
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moschonis
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koutsilieris
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manios
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003611:Dairy Products; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006115:Greece; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D017698:Postmenopause; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000097:blood; D012621:Seasons; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D053245:RANK Ligand; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D