Nutrition
Calcium Supplementation and Increases in Bone Mineral Density in Children Scientists have found that peak bone mass in childhood is a major cause of bone mineral density in adulthood and may decrease the risk of osteoporotic fractures. Osteoporotic fractures are those caused by a disease (Osteoporosis) which causes bones to be extremely porous. There are however other factors, such as Genetic and Environmental, that play a major role in determining peak bone mass. Studies done have implied that milk drinking may help in determining peak bone mass. Since milk is a complex food, other factors, not just the calcium, may be responsible for the increase in bone mass. Teenaged girls were studied, and scientists found that an increase in either milk drinking or calcium supplements was positively proportional to the rate of gain in bone mineral density. Is calcium alone an effective tool in increasing the rate of change in bone mineral densit
y in children?A three year, double blinded, placebo controlled study was done on 70 pairs of identical twins whose ages ranged from 6 to 14 years old. Prepubertal twins had about 4 percent greater increase in bone density while postpubertal and those going through puberty had little change. After the third year, bone mass's were measured in the radial, spine and hip. A double blinded study is a study where neither the scientists nor the subjects know who will receive the plasibo or the calcium supplement. They believed that pubertal changes such as the secretion of growth hormones and sex steroids were the main cause for the differences. The group who received an average of 719mg per day of calcium supplements had about 3 percent more minerals in the radius than their twins. After the intervals of six months, one, and two years the radial bone mass was measured. The other twin received the placebo. The height, weight, and other nutrients had no significant differences. The base-line bone width, mineral density, and bone mineral content were similar in the calcium supplement and placebo groups and to those who drooped out. The boy's intake of all nutrients was slightly greater and as expected, the girl's pubertal development was more advanced. No consistent changes in bone area or width were observed but bone mineral density increased by a mean of 1. The increases were greater at the midshaft and distal radius. All the twins received four 250mg tablets daily and their activities were monitored.
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