Micronutrients & recovery
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status is the dominant predictor of total hip bone mineral density (BMD) in both men and women, whereas the association between dietary calcium intake and BMD is negligible or non-existent in men and women with adequate vitamin D levels.
For both men and women, maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is the most important factor for bone density. While women with low vitamin D may benefit from higher calcium, men in this study showed no bone density benefit from increased calcium intake regardless of vitamin D levels. Focus on optimizing vitamin D status first.
Among men and women, 25(OH)D status seems to be the dominant predictor of BMD relative to calcium intake.
Why this rating
Large sample size (n=9961) and stratified analysis by sex and vitamin D status provide robust observational evidence, though cross-sectional design limits causal inference.
Source
Dietary Calcium and Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Status in Relation to BMD Among U.S. Adults
Heike A. Bischoff‐Ferrari et al. · Journal of Bone and Mineral Research · 2008
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