Skip to main content
Log in

Consumption of a high calcium mineral water lowers biochemical indices of bone remodeling in postmenopausal women with low calcium intake

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Osteoporosis International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Many postmenopausal women have a calcium intake far below the recommended amount and, in addition to attempting to improve their diet, need a calcium supplement. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the consumption of a high calcium mineral water (HCaMW) on biochemical indices of bone remodeling in postmenopausal women with low Ca intake. A 6-month randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial was designed to assess the effects of a daily consumption of 1 liter of a HCaMW (596 mg Ca/l) on serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and biochemical markers of bone remodeling in postmenopausal women with a dietary Ca intake lower than 700 mg/day. The placebo group drank 1 liter of a mineral water with a low calcium content (10 mg/l). One hundred eighty healthy women were recruited (mean age: 70.1±4.0 years); 152 completed the 6-month trial. The changes from baseline of biochemical indices after 6 months consisted of a significant 14.1% decrease of serum PTH, osteocalcin (–8.6%), bone alkaline phosphatase (–11.5%), serum (–16.3%) and urine (–13.0%) type-1 collagen C-telopeptide in the HCaMW group compared to the placebo group, where all biochemical indices increased after 6 months. The additive effect of a small vitamin D supplement (400 iu/day) was also evaluated. In women receiving vitamin D in addition to HCaMW, the decrease in bone indices was not found to be greater than in women drinking only the HCaMW. A daily supplement of 596 mg of Ca through the consumption of 1 l of HCaMW was able to lower serum PTH and the indices of bone turnover in postmenopausal women with a low Ca intake. This could contribute to the repair of calcium deficiency and to the reduction of age-related bone loss in this population.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1 a, b, c, d

Similar content being viewed by others

References–

  1. NIH Consensus Conference (1994) Optimal calcium intake. JAMA 272:1942–1948

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Chapuy MC, Schott AM, Garnero P, Hans D, Delmas PD, Meunier PJ, and EPIDOS study group (1996) Healthy elderly French women living at home have secondary hyperparathyroidism and high bone turnover in winter. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 81:1129–1133

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Chapuy MC, Arlot ME, Duboeuf F, Brun J, Crouzet B, Arnaud S, Delmas PD, Meunier PJ (1992) Vitamin D3 and calcium to prevent hip fractures in elderly women. N Engl J Med 327:1637–1642

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Chapuy MC, Pamphile R, Paris E, Kempf C, Schlichting M, Arnaud S, Garnero P, Meunier PJ (2002) Combined calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation in elderly women: confirmation of reversal of secondary hyperparathyroidism and hip fracture risk: the DECALYOS II study. Osteoporos Int 19:257–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Compston JE, Silver AC, Croucher PI, Brown RC, Woodhead JS (1989) Elevated serum intact parathyroid hormone levels in elderly patients with hip fracture. Clin Endocrinol 31:667–672

    Google Scholar 

  6. Riggs BL, O’Fallon WM, Muhs J, O’Connor MK, Kumar R, Melton LJ 3rd (1998) Long-term effects of calcium supplementation on serum parathyroid hormone level, bone turnover, and bone loss in elderly women. J Bone Miner Res 13:168–174

    Google Scholar 

  7. Reid IR, Ames RW, Evans MC, Gamble GD, Sharpe SJ (1995) Long-term effects of calcium supplementation on bone loss and fractures in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Med 98:331–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Chapuy MC, Arlot ME, Delmas PD, Meunier PJ (1994) Effect of calcium and cholecalciferol treatment for 3 years on hip fractures in elderly women. Brit Med J 308:1081–1082

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dawson-Hughes B, Dallal GE, Krall EA, Sadowski L, Sahyoun N, Tannenbaum S (1990) A controlled trial of the effects of calcium supplementation on bone density in postmenopausal women. N Engl J Med 323:878–883

    Google Scholar 

  10. Fardellone P, Sebert JL, Bouraya M, Bonidan O, Leclercq G, Doutrellot C, Bellony R, Dubreuil A (1991) Evaluation de la teneur en calcium du régime alimentaire par autoquestionnaire fréquentiel. Rev Rhum 58:99–103

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Guillemant J, Le HT, Guillemant S, Delabroise AM, Arnaud MJ (1997) Acute effects induced by a calcium-rich mineral water on calcium metabolism and on parathyroid function. Osteoporos Int 7:85–86

    Google Scholar 

  12. Guillemant J, Le HT, Accarie C, du Montcel ST, Delabroise AM, Arnaud MJ, Guillemant S (2000) Mineral water as a source of dietary calcium: acute effects on parathyroid function and bone resorption in young men. Am J Clin Nutr 71:999–1002

    Google Scholar 

  13. Halpern GM, Van de Water J, Delabroise AM, Keen CL, Gershwin ME (1991) Comparative uptake of calcium from milk and a calcium-rich mineral water in lactose intolerant adult: implications for treatment of osteoporosis. Am J Prev Med 7:379–383

    Google Scholar 

  14. Heaney RP, Dowell MS (1994) Absorbability of the calcium in a high-calcium mineral water. Osteoporos Int 4:323–324

    Google Scholar 

  15. Couzy F, Kastenmayer P, Vigo M, Clough J, Munox-Box R, Barclay DV (1995) Calcium bioavailability from a calcium- and sulfate-rich mineral water, compared with milk in young adult women. Am J Clin Nutr 62:1239–1244

    Google Scholar 

  16. Van Dokkum W, De La Gueronniere V, Schaafsma G, Bouley C, Luten J, Latge C (1996) Bioavailability of calcium of fresh cheeses, enteral food and mineral water. A study with stable calcium isotopes in young adult women. Brit J Nutr 75:893–903

    Google Scholar 

  17. Bohmer H, Mùller H, Resch KL (2000) Calcium supplementation with calcium-rich mineral waters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of its bioavailability. Osteoporos Int 11:938–943

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Whiting SJ, Cole DE (1987) The comparative effect of feeding ammonium carbonate, ammonium sulfate and ammonium chloride on urinary calcium excretion in rats. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 65:2202–2204

    Google Scholar 

  19. Whiting SJ, Draper HH (1980) The role of sulfate in the calciuria of high protein diets in adult rats. J Nut 110:212–222

    Google Scholar 

  20. Guillemant J, Accarie C, de la Gueronniere V, Guillemant S (2002) Calcium in mineral water can effectively suppress parathyroid function and bone resorption. Nutr Res 22:901–910

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Tjellesen L, Hummer L, Christiansen C, Rodbro P (1986) Serum concentration of vitamin D metabolites during treatment with vitamin D2 and D3 in normal subjects. Bone Miner 1:407–413

    Google Scholar 

  22. Marangella M, Vitale C, Petrarulo M, Rovera L, Dutto F (1996) Effects of mineral composition of drinking water on risk for stone formation and bone metabolism in idiopathic calcium nephrolithiasis. Clin Science 91:313–318

    Google Scholar 

  23. Ledger GA, Burritt MF, Kao PC, O’Fallon WM, Riggs BL, Khosla S (1995) Role of parathyroid hormone in mediating nocturnal and age-related increases in bone resorption. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 80:3304–3310

    Google Scholar 

  24. Garnero P, Sornay-Rendu E, Duboeuf F, Delmas PD (1999) Markers of bone turnover predict postmenopausal forearm bone loss over 4 years: the OFELY study. J Bone Miner Res 14:1614–1621

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Bauer DC, Sklarin PM, Stone KL, Black DM, Nevitt MC, Ensrud KE, Arnaud CD, Genant HK, Garnero P, Delmas PD, Lawaetz H, Cummings SR (1999) Biochemical markers of bone turnover and prediction of hip bone loss in older women: the study of osteoporotic fractures. J Bone Miner Res 14:1404–1410

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pierre J. Meunier.

Additional information

This study was supported by a grant from Evian.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Meunier, P.J., Jenvrin, C., Munoz, F. et al. Consumption of a high calcium mineral water lowers biochemical indices of bone remodeling in postmenopausal women with low calcium intake. Osteoporos Int 16, 1203–1209 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-004-1828-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-004-1828-6

Keywords

Navigation