| Ever since the 1970s, nutritionists have been arguing | | | | regardless of age, weight, smoking habits, calcium |
| over the role of protein in maintaining bone health. | | | | intake and even estrogen use. |
| Some claim a high-protein diet makes the body | | | | In March 2002 an important study showed that the |
| excrete more calcium, which in turn could weaken | | | | combination of a high protein intake and calcium and |
| bones. Others assert just the opposite: That dietary | | | | vitamin D supplements significantly slows bone loss in |
| protein is essential for maintaining strong bones. | | | | older adults. The double-blind study followed nearly |
| Who's right? | | | | 350 sixty-five-year-old men and women over a |
| Recent research strongly suggests that the protein | | | | three-year period. All the participants ate their usual |
| proponents were right all along. The research shows | | | | diet, but half were also randomly assigned to take a |
| that a diet high in protein not only keeps your bones | | | | supplement containing vitamin D and 500 milligrams of |
| healthy; it can significantly slow down the bone loss | | | | calcium, while the others took a dummy pill. |
| that leads to osteoporosis. | | | | At the end of three years, the researchers found |
| What all the studies show is that the amount of | | | | that among the people taking the calcium and vitamin |
| calcium you excrete depends on more than just how | | | | D supplements, the ones who ate the most protein |
| much protein you eat. | | | | had the strongest bones and absorbed the most |
| The amounts of phosphorus and magnesium in your | | | | calcium. |
| diet, for instance, play a significant role. But even | | | | Cheese and other dairy foods are a great source of |
| more importantly, there's simply a lot of normal | | | | calcium. Just one ounce of cheddar cheese, for |
| variation in the amount of calcium individuals absorb | | | | instance, gives you 204 mg. of calcium. There is a lot |
| from their food-some people just absorb more than | | | | of calcium in other low carb foods, including nuts and |
| others, for reasons researchers still don't understand. | | | | green leafy vegetables. |
| In fact, your ability to absorb calcium from your food | | | | The latest research at Tufts University indicates that |
| is probably more important to your bone health than | | | | strength training at any age can actually add bone, |
| the total amount of calcium you take in. | | | | not just slow its loss. The study looked at two |
| Results from the long-running Framingham | | | | groups of women aged 50 to 70 for a year. One |
| Osteoporosis Study, published in 2000, showed that | | | | group exercised 5 minutes on a cycle, stretched for |
| eating a diet high in protein has a protective effect | | | | 5 minutes and did resistance exercise on several |
| on your bones as you age. | | | | pieces of strength equipment. |
| Among the 615 elderly people in the study, the ones | | | | The other group continued their "couch potato" life |
| who ate the most protein had the strongest bones, | | | | style. When bone density was compared at the end |
| while the ones who ate the least protein had the | | | | of the study the strength training group added 1% |
| weakest bones. And over the four-year study | | | | compared to a loss of 2.5% by the sedentary group. |
| period, the people who ate the least protein lost | | | | As a bonus the strength training will improve your |
| significantly more bone mass than the people who | | | | balance, lower blood sugar and burn calories while you |
| ate the most protein. The connection held up | | | | are sleeping. |