A calcium and vitamin D fortified food product improves bone adaptation during military training (634.3)
Abstract
Stress fracture incidence during military training is high. Prior work suggests calcium (Ca) and vitamin D (vit D) intakes above the RDA may reduce fracture incidence in female trainees. How Ca and vit D affect measures of bone density and strength during initial military training (IMT) is not known. This randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial was conducted to determine whether Ca and vit D (2000 mg and 800 IU) delivered as 2 snack bars daily throughout 9 wks of IMT improved trainee bone health. Measures of bone density pre‐ and post‐IMT and strength were assessed using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (n=20 men, n=27 women). Tibia scans were performed on the non‐dominant leg at 4, 14 and 66% of the segment length proximal to the distal end plate. Several parameters increased during training including: trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and bone strength index at the 4% site, cortical vBMD at the 14% and 66% sites, and stress strain index at the 66% site suggesting bone strength improved during IMT (all PPPP<0.05) at the 14% site. These data indicate that Ca and vit D intakes above the RDA may support bone health during periods of high turnover such as IMT.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2014
- Source ID
- 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.634.3
Entities
People
- Andrew Young
- Erin Gaffney‐stomberg
- James Mcclung
- Julie M Hughes
- Laura J. Lutz
- Louis Marchitelli
- Nancy Murphy
- Sonya Cable
Organizations
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
- United States Army Medical Research and Development Command
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine