Dairy in Adulthood: From Foods to Nutrient Interactions on Bone and Skeletal Muscle Health (original) (raw)

2013, Journal of the American College of Nutrition

The risk of fragility fractures exponentially increases with aging. Reduced mass and strength of both bone in osteoporosis and skeletal muscle in sarcopenia play a key role in the age-related incidence of fragility fractures. Undernutrition is often observed in the elderly, particularly in those subjects experiencing osteoporotic fractures, more likely as a cause than a consequence. Calcium (Ca), inorganic phosphate (Pi), vitamin D, and protein are nutrients that impact bone and skeletal muscle integrity. Deficiency in the supply of these nutrients increases with aging. Dairy foods are rich in Ca, Pi, and proteins and in many countries are fortified with vitamin D. Dairy foods are important souces of these nutrients and go a long way to meeting the recommendations, which increase with aging. This review emphaszes the interactions between these 4 nutrients, which, along with physical activity, act through cellular and physiological pathways favoring the maintenance of both bone and skeletal muscle structure and function. Key teaching points: • Preventing bone loss and risk of falling are key to reducing age-related increases in fragility fracture. • Ca and vitamin D are needed to reduce the risk of hip fracture. • Increasing Pi intake stimulates the renal reabsorption and the overall retention of Ca. • Protein intake through the production of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) positively interacts with vitamin D metabolism and the Ca-Pi economy. • Interactions of Ca, Pi, protein, and vitamin D reduce bone resorption and increase bone formation, attenuating age-related bone loss. • Mechanical loading of skeletal muscle acts in concert with amino acids and IGF-I on skeletal mass and strength.

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