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Effect of a high-protein, high-salt diet on calcium and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women stratified by hormone replacement therapy use

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of a high-sodium, high-protein diet on bone metabolism in postmenopausal women (aged 49–60 y) stratified by hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use. In a crossover trial, 18 women (n=8 HRT users (+HRT) and n=10 nonusers (−HRT)) were randomly assigned to a diet high in protein (90 g/day) and sodium (180 mmol/day) (calciuric diet) or a diet moderate in protein (70 g/day) and low in sodium (65 mmol/day) for 4 weeks followed by crossover to alternative dietary regimen for a further 4 weeks. The calciuric diet significantly (P<0.05) increased urinary sodium, calcium and nitrogen in both groups. While the calciuric diet increased urinary N-telopeptide crosslinks of collagen (by 25%, P=0.003) in the −HRT group, it had no effect in the +HRT group. It appears that postmenopausal HRT use attenuates the increase in a marker of bone resorption associated with a calciuric diet.

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Acknowledgements

This work was carried out with financial support from the European Commission Quality of Life Fifth Framework Programme: QLK1-CT 1999-000752.

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Contributors: MH contributed to design, execution, analysis and writing of the study. TB, AF, JJ, LO and CB contributed to design, execution and analysis of the study. KDC contributed to the design, analysis and writing of the study.

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Correspondence to KD Cashman.

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Harrington, M., Bennett, T., Jakobsen, J. et al. Effect of a high-protein, high-salt diet on calcium and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women stratified by hormone replacement therapy use. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 1436–1439 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601983

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