Nutrition and Osteoporosis

Abstract

The impact of nutrition on bone varies over the main periods of life (growth and adolescence, mature adulthood, early postmenopause, senescence) in its nature and in its importance. Nutrition influences growth and development of peak bone mass and maintenance of adult bone mass, modifies postmenopausal bone loss, and has an important impact on bone loss and bone health in advanced age. Although mainly considered as an environmental factor, nutrition, respectively its impact on bone, is influenced by genetic conditions. For example, the effect of a calcium supplementation in calcium deficiency depends partially on the vitamin D-receptor gene allele. Despite this, and despite the fact that nutrition accounts maximally for 20% of the variance of peak bone mass, it represents a modifiable factor in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis offering the possibility for corrective interventions.