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Extra calcium, vitamin D failed to enhance skeletal effects of exercise in older men

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Middle-aged and older men who followed a multicomponent regimen of resistance and weight-bearing impact exercises experienced positive improvements in lumbar spine and femoral neck bone mineral density and bone strength, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

However, extra calcium and vitamin D supplementation did not further enhance these improvements.

Researchers in Australia conducted a study to determine whether calcium and vitamin D supplementation could augment the benefits of exercise on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone strength. The study included 180 healthy white men who were randomly assigned to a control group or one of three intervention groups for 18 months: exercise plus calcium and vitamin D-fortified milk; fortified milk only; or exercise only. The milk was 1% fat, and each 200-mL pack contained 500 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D; men were instructed to consume 400 mL daily. The exercise regimen consisted of supervised 60- to 75-minute sessions involving progressive resistance training with weightbearing impact activities performed three times per week.

At the study’s conclusion, exercise contributed to net gains of 1.9% in femoral neck area BMD, 1.8% in cross-sectional area BMD and 2.1% in section modulus BMD. Exercise also induced a 2.2% improvement in lumbar spine trabecular BMD. Mid-femur and mid-tibia BMD, however, did not change, despite the exercise intervention.

According to the results, there was no notable interaction between calcium and vitamin D supplementation and exercise for any bone measurement when the researchers compared men assigned to the exercise program plus supplementation with those who participated in exercise only.

“It is likely that if an exercise-by-calcium-vitamin D interaction does exist, it may be limited to situations where groups move from an inadequate calcium and vitamin D status to adequacy,” the researchers concluded.

Reference:

• Kukuljan S. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;doi:10.1210/jc.2010-2284.

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