Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Skeletal benefits from calcium supplementation are limited in children with calcium intakes near 800 mg daily

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Osteoporosis International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction and Hypothesis

Calcium supplementation enhances bone mass accrual during administration, with a sustained benefit observed using milk-based calcium but not calcium salts. We tested the hypothesis that calcium from milk minerals but not calcium carbonate will be sustained after supplementation was discontinued.

Methods

Ninety-nine pre-pubertal boys and girls aged 5–11 years were followed for 12 months after being randomized to receive 800 mg/day of calcium from milk minerals (MM) or calcium carbonate (CC), or a placebo (Pla) in a 10-month double blind study. Total body and regional BMC, and femoral shaft bone dimensions were measured using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Group differences were determined using ANCOVA.

Results

In the intention to treat analysis of the entire sample, no group differences were observed in increments in BMC or bone dimensions during or after supplementation. In those children who remained pre-pubertal, greater gains in pelvis BMC in the milk mineral group than controls were sustained (37.9 versus 29.3% respectively, p<0.02).

Conclusion

In healthy children consuming about 800 mg calcium daily, calcium supplementation with milk minerals or calcium carbonate does not appear to be produce biologically meaningful benefits to skeletal health. A benefit of calcium supplementation in pre-pubertal was evident, but inconclusive, with the biological significance of the effect of calcium supplementation at the pelvis, and the longevity of this effect to be determined.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Matkovic V, Kostial K, Simonovic I et al (1979) Bone status and fracture rates in two regions of Yugoslavia. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 32(3):540–549

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Heaney RP (2000) Calcium, dairy products and osteoporosis. J Am Coll Nutr 19(2 Suppl):83S–99S

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Matkovic V, Landoll JD, Badenhop-Stevens NE et al (2004) Nutrition influences skeletal development from childhood to adulthood: a study of hip, spine, and forearm in adolescent females. J Nutr 134(3):701S–705S

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Nicklas TA (2003) Calcium intake trends and health consequences from childhood through adulthood. J Am Coll Nutr 22(5):340–356

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bonjour JP, Carrie AL, Ferrari S et al (1997) Calcium-enriched foods and bone mass growth in prepubertal girls: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Investigation 99(6):1287–1294

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Lee WT, Leung SS, Wang SH et al (1994) Double-blind, controlled calcium supplementation and bone mineral accretion in children accustomed to a low-calcium diet. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 60(5):744–750

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Du X, Zhu K, Trube A et al (2004) School-milk intervention trial enhances growth and bone mineral accretion in Chinese girls aged 10–12 years in Beijing. Br J Nutr 92(1):159–168

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Lau EM, Lynn H, Chan YH et al (2004) Benefits of milk powder supplementation on bone accretion in Chinese children. Osteoporos Int 15(8):654–658

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Iuliano-Burns S, Saxon L, Naughton G et al (2003) Regional specificity of exercise and calcium during skeletal growth in girls: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of Bone Mineral Research 18(1):156–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lee WT, Leung SS, Leung DM et al (1996) A follow-up study on the effects of calcium-supplement withdrawal and puberty on bone acquisition of children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 64(1):71–77

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Lee WT, Leung SS, Leung DM et al (1997) Bone mineral acquisition in low calcium intake children following the withdrawal of calcium supplement. Acta Paediatrica 86(6):570–576

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Slemenda CW, Peacock M, Hui S et al (1997) Reduced rates of skeletal remodelling are associated with increased bone mineral density during the development of peak skeletal mass. J Bone Miner Res 12(4):676–682

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Bonjour JP, Chevalley T, Ammann P et al (2001) Gain in bone mineral mass in prepubertal girls 3.5 years after discontinuation of calcium supplementation: a follow-up study. Lancet 358(9289):1208–1212

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Chevalley T, Bonjour JP, Ferrari S et al (2005) Skeletal site selectivity in the effects of calcium supplementation on areal bone mineral density gain: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in prepubertal boys. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 90(6):3342–3349

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lee WT, Leung SS, Leung DM et al (1995) A randomized double-blind controlled calcium supplementation trial, and bone and height acquisition in children. British Journal of Nutrition 74(1):125–139

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Tanner JM (1978) Physical growth and development. In: Fofar JO, Arnell CC (eds) Textbook of Pediatrics. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, Scotland, pp 249–303

    Google Scholar 

  17. Slemenda CW, Miller JZ, Hui SL et al (1991) Role of physical activity in the development of skeletal mass in children. J Bone Miner Res 6(11):1227–1233

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Chemists AoOA (1990) In: Chemists AoOA (ed) Official Methods of Analysis of Official Analytical Chemists, Richmond, VA, USA, pp 1106–1107

  19. Winzenberg TM, Shaw K, Fryer J et al (2006) Calcium supplementation for improving bone mineral density in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2):CD005119

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Peacock M, Liu G, Carey M et al (2000) Effect of calcium or 25OH vitamin D3 dietary supplementation on bone loss at the hip in men and women over the age of 60. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85(9):3011–3019

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Johnston CC Jr, Miller JZ, Slemenda CW et al (1992) Calcium supplementation and increases in bone mineral density in children. N Engl J Med 327(2):82–87

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Abrams SA, Copeland KC, Gunn SK et al (2000) Calcium absorption, bone mass accumulation, and kinetics increase during early pubertal development in girls. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85(5):1805–1809

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Takada Y, Aoe S, Kumegawa M (1996) Whey protein stimulated the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 223(2):445–449

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Aoe S, Toba Y, Yamamura J et al (2001) Controlled trial of the effects of milk basic protein (MBP) supplementation on bone metabolism in healthy adult women. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 65(4):913–918

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Toba Y, Takada Y, Matsuoka Y et al (2001) Milk basic protein promotes bone formation and suppresses bone resorption in healthy adult men. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 65(6):1353–1357

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Dibba B, Prentice A, Ceesay M et al (2002) Bone mineral contents and plasma osteocalcin concentrations of Gambian children 12 and 24 mo after the withdrawal of a calcium supplement. Am J Clin Nutr 76(3):681–686

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the staff and students from the participating schools: Banyule, Haig St, Heidleberg, Ivanhoe East & Rosanna Golf Links, the Bone Density & Pharmacy Departments, Austin Health, research nurse Sheila Matthews and Roman Shaw from Shaw Foods. This study was supported by a grant from Dairy Australia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bone and Mineral Unit, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Australia

    A. Evans

  2. Division of Bone Diseases, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics (WHO Organization Collaborating Centre for Osteoporosis Prevention), University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

    J.-P. Bonjour

  3. Department of Endocrinology, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Waterdale Rd, West Heidelberg, 3081, Australia

    S. Iuliano-Burns, X.-F. Wang & E. Seeman

Authors
  1. S. Iuliano-Burns
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. X.-F. Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Evans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J.-P. Bonjour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. E. Seeman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Iuliano-Burns.

Additional information

Supported by a grant from Dairy Australia.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Iuliano-Burns, S., Wang, XF., Evans, A. et al. Skeletal benefits from calcium supplementation are limited in children with calcium intakes near 800 mg daily. Osteoporos Int 17, 1794–1800 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-006-0196-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-006-0196-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation