Diets that are rich in animal foods and low in vegetable foods, typical of industrialized countries, lead to a dietary net acid load that has a negative effect on calcium balance.
Nutrition is an important component of bone health. We always talk about the calcium but we forget to mention the proteins. However many studies have been done on this subject.
It has been confirmed many times that an abundant ingestion of animal proteins increases urinary calcium excretion and have a harmful effect on our bones.
Dietary animal protein intake is highly correlated with renal net acid excretion (Sellmeyer, D. E. et al. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2001, 73, 118-122.)
End-products of animal proteins' digestion are uric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid...Those acids are not volatile, and our body must strive to eliminate them. Too much of them leads to an acidosis and therefore an important calcium excretion.
"If bone is mobilized to buffer only 1 mEq of acid each day, 15 % of the total body calcium in an average person is lost in a decade"(Wachman, A.; Bernstein, D.S. "Diet and osteoporosis" Lancet 1968, 1, 958-959.)
A long-term diet high in potassium and magnesium or both may protect our bones.
Fruits and vegetables are important sources of those minerals. They play a potential role in osteoporosis prevention.
Realized by Laurence LIVERNAIS-SAETTEL, dietetian
© Copyright L. Livernais-Saettel 2000
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