Research
Mixed
Combining high calcium intake (>800 mg/day) with high physical activity (>970 kcal/day energy expenditure) results in significantly higher vertebral bone mineral density than either factor alone.
To maximize bone density, combine a daily intake of 800-1000 mg calcium with regular weight-bearing exercise (walking/running) totaling over 970 kcal/day.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
There was an additive relationship between the effects of exercise and calcium such that mean vertebral BMD in women who had both active life-style and high calcium intake... was 1.21 +/- 0.03 gram/cm2, while those who were both inactive and calcium deficient had a mean BMD of 1.06 +/- 0.02
Why this rating
Cross-sectional observational study.
Source
Interaction of calcium nutrition and physical activity on bone mass in young women
Bonnie Kanders et al. · Journal of Bone and Mineral Research · 1988
DOI 10.1002/jbmr.5650030204
cross_sectional · n=60Cited 229×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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- In young premenopausal women, vertebral bone mineral density is significantly correlated with physical activity levels, whereas radial bone mineral density is not.Moderate
- For young premenopausal women, calcium intake between 800-1000 mg/day is optimal for vertebral bone mineral density, with no additional benefit observed for intakes above this threshold.Moderate
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