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Higher habitual sodium intake is not detrimental for bones in older women with adequate calcium intake

European Journal of Applied Physiology volume 109, pages 745–755 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Based on the calciuric effect of sodium (Na), it has been speculated, although not proven, that higher Na intake might have a detrimental effect on bone health. The objective was to determine the relationship between Na intake (expressed as urinary Na) and bone mineral density/content (BMD/BMC) during a 3-year study. Participants were healthy, postmenopausal, Caucasian women (n = 136 at baseline) with no medications affecting bone. After baseline screening, half were instructed to reduce sodium intake to ~1,500 mg/day (intervention). The other half remained on habitual intake of ~3,000 mg/day (control). All subjects were given calcium and vitamin D supplements to achieve recommended levels. Anthropometries, densitometry, blood and 24-h urine analyses, and dietary and activity records were assessed every 6 months. Data were analyzed as a continuum, irrespective of the initial assignment to a control or intervention group, using random effects regressions with repeated measures analysis of variance to examine changes over time. Results showed that subjects with higher Na intake had higher BMD in the forearm and spine at baseline and all subsequent time-points (p < 0.01). In the forearm, time and higher urinary calcium modified results, producing a curvilinear decrease in BMD (p < 0.01). In the spine, more active individuals had higher BMD at all time-points. We conclude that higher sodium intake, within the range consumed, had a positive effect on some skeletal sites and no adverse effect on bone in women who had adequate calcium and vitamin D intake.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to all women who participated in the study. The authors appreciate statistical consultations by Antonius H.N. Cillessen. Funded in part by the NRI/USDA 2001-00836, Donaghue Medical Research Foundation DF98-056, University of Connecticut Office for Sponsored Programs and Bayer HealthCare LLC, Morristown, NJ, USA. The experiments comply with the current laws of the US and were approved by the Institutional Review Board.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Affiliations

  1. Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, 120 Convocation Rd, 418 Sandels Bldg., Tallahassee, FL, 32303-1493, USA

    Jasminka Z. Ilich

  2. Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

    Rhonda A. Brownbill

  3. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA

    Daniel C. Coster

Authors
  1. Jasminka Z. Ilich
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  2. Rhonda A. Brownbill
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  3. Daniel C. Coster
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Correspondence to Jasminka Z. Ilich.

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Communicated by Susan Ward.

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Ilich, J.Z., Brownbill, R.A. & Coster, D.C. Higher habitual sodium intake is not detrimental for bones in older women with adequate calcium intake. Eur J Appl Physiol 109, 745–755 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1412-z

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Keywords

  • Sodium and calcium intake
  • Urinary sodium
  • Urinary calcium
  • 24-h urine