Along with calcium and vitamin D, protein is an important nutrient for the formation of bone tissue. Foods such as milk that contain all of these nutrients provide ideal nutrition for bone health. Besides following dietary recommendations for protein, you can also promote strong and healthy bones by getting enough physical activity and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption.
Protein and Bone Development
Protein is a crucial nutrient for normal skeletal development during childhood and adolescence. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, or IOF, low protein intake reduces the production and action of insulin-like growth factor, or IGF-1. In children and adolescents, the IOF notes, IGF-1 is integral for both bone mass acquisition and proper bone mineralization required for hard, strong bones. Thus, insufficient protein intake during growth can severely impair bone development in terms of both size and strength.
Protein and Bone Health for Older Adults
In addition to building strong bones during growth, protein is also important for maintaining bone mass as you age. According to the IOF, clinical research has found that elderly men and women with lower protein intakes have greater rates of hip and spine bone loss than seniors who consume higher amounts of protein. Furthermore, according to the IOF, protein supplements have been shown to benefit clinical outcomes of older adults when administered after surgery to repair a bone fracture. Protein may help reverse bone loss from aging by increasing IGF-1, reports the IOF.
Synergistic Roles of Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium is a major structural component of bone tissue, and vitamin D is required for calcium absorption as well as bone mineralization. Moreover, intake of these nutrients may influence the bone-building activity of protein. A study published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2002 found that among men and women over 65 -- the age when bone mass typically starts declining -- higher protein intakes over a three-year period were associated with improved bone mass density in subjects who took calcium and vitamin D supplements, but not in subjects who took a placebo.
Considerations
While dietary protein is required to build bone tissue in both children and adults, too much protein or protein without sufficient calcium can have detrimental effects on bones and other aspects of health. In older adults, excessive protein intake may put stress on aging kidneys. In addition, a high-protein diet can cause calcium loss, so high-protein intakes may negatively impact bone density in diets lacking sufficient dietary calcium, according to nutritionists at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
References
- International Osteoporosis Foundation: Bone Development in Young People
- University of Hawaii at Manoa; Healthy Bones Need Protein; Alan Titchenal, Ph.D., C.N.S., and Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.; May 2002
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Calcium Intake Influences the Association of Protein Intake with Rates of Bone Loss in Elderly Men and Women; Bess Dawson-Hughes and Susan S. Harris; April 2002
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; Scientists Gain New Clues to Bone Mineralization; April 2006
- International Osteoporosis Foundation: Calcium
- International Osteoporosis Foundation: Vitamin D
- International Osteoporosis Foundation: Negative Dietary Practices and Factors
Member Comments