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Evidence for a Link Between Dietary Protein and Bone & Muscle Health in Adults

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Nutritional Influences on Bone Health

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Abstract

This chapter will provide an overview regarding bone, osteoporosis, musculoskeletal health and dietary protein intakes in adult men and women. A background on evolving thoughts and tested hypotheses on the Acid-base theory will be presented, followed by an overview of the major scientific findings of the effect of dietary protein intake upon bone and muscle health. This review will not cover dietary patterns, although this topic is of keen interest and population-based future studies are encouraged in this area of interest. It would appear that higher levels of dietary protein intake, within the range commonly consumed by U.S. adults, do not result in bone loss in older adults. These positive outcomes may be due to increased calcium absorption, circulating levels of IGF-1 and suppression of PTH. The link between dietary protein intakes and bone health is certainly more complex than simple association studies can tease apart and more in-depth work is still necessary to give insights that are helpful to populations interested in maximizing their bone health. Protein appears to make more of an impact on bone with adequate calcium intake.

The field of study for protein intakes and muscle outcomes in the adult population is an emerging area of research and one from which we anticipate a growing body of evidence in the future.

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Acknowledgments

Drs. Sahni & Hannan have had unrestricted institutional research grants from General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition and from Policy Analysis Inc. The authors are grateful for the helpful comments and assistance provided by Arunima Awale.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Marian T. Hannan DSc, MPH & Shivani Sahni PhD

  2. Department of Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA

    Kelsey Mangano PhD

Authors
  1. Marian T. Hannan DSc, MPH
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  2. Shivani Sahni PhD
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  3. Kelsey Mangano PhD
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Correspondence to Marian T. Hannan DSc, MPH .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition and Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

    Connie M. Weaver

  2. Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia

    Robin M. Daly

  3. Geriatrics and Aging Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari

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Hannan, M.T., Sahni, S., Mangano, K. (2016). Evidence for a Link Between Dietary Protein and Bone & Muscle Health in Adults. In: Weaver, C., Daly, R., Bischoff-Ferrari, H. (eds) Nutritional Influences on Bone Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32417-3_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32417-3_5

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-32417-3

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