Extra Calcium May Mean Long-Term Bone Density Benefits for Teen Girls

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Extra Calcium May Mean Long-Term Bone Density Benefits for Teen Girls

For teen girls, late childhood and early adolescence are important times for

bone development. The more bone mass that a girl accumulates, the less likely

she is to suffer from osteoporosis and fractures in adulthood. Research has

shown that including extra calcium in the diet can help increase bone mass, and

a study from researchers in Geneva, Switzerland, shows that this increase in

bone mass may help girls reap long-term benefits.

 

Researchers originally studied the effects of calcium supplementation on the

bone densities of 144 8-year-old girls who had not yet achieved puberty. More

than 3 years after the calcium supplementation study ended, the girls were again

contacted to determine if bone density increases from calcium supplementation

persisted. Sixty-two of the girls who were in the calcium supplementation group

and 54 of the girls who were in a comparison group were included in the

follow-up study, in which their bone densities were measured. The weight, body

mass index (a measure of body fatness), height, and stage of puberty did not

differ significantly between the two groups. In addition, both groups of girls

consumed about the same amount of calcium normally.

 

The bone densities of six areas of the body were measured; for all six sites,

the girls who had taken calcium supplements had greater gains in bone density.

Overall, the girls who took supplements had significantly higher bone densities

when compared to the unsupplemented group.

 

What This Means to You: Females are at risk for developing osteroporosis. Teens

and parents should be thinking years ahead about how to avoid this painful,

debilitating condition. Fortunately, there are effective ways to decrease the

chances of osteoporosis: diet and exercise. This study indicates that girls who

take calcium supplements before puberty may experience increases in bone mineral

density that may last years after supplementation ends. Calcium is a mineral

that is often lacking in teens' diets, and milk and other dairy products may be

abandoned by teens because they fear these items will make them " fat. " Encourage

your preteen or teen to eat low-fat or nonfat sources of calcium, such as

cheese, milk, yogurt, spinach, and broccoli. Calcium-based antacids, such as

Tums, can also provide a significant daily source of supplemental calcium. As

for exercise, weight training and good athletic conditioning defend against

osteoporosis. Excessive exercising to the point of losing menstrual periods, on

the other hand, increases the likelihood of osteroposis.

 

Source: The Lancet, October 2001

Reviewed by: Neil Izenberg, MD

Date reviewed: November 2001

 

 

 

 

 

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