Effects of an Exercise Program and a Calcium Supplementation on Bone in Children: A Randomized Control Trial

Abstract

We investigated the effects of calcium supplementation and physical practice on the bone ultrasound properties and trabecular microarchitecture in children. 160 children aged 8-11 were randomly allocated to active or nonactive groups and to receive either a calcium-phosphate or a placebo powder for 6 months. Skeletal status was assessed using an ultrasound technique, which measures the speed of sound (Ad-SoS, m/s) at the phalanx. Bone microarchitecture was characterized by fractal analysis measured on calcaneus radiographs and the result expressed as the Hmean parameter, that has been shown to a good reliability of the bone texture quality. After 6 months, the calcium group had significantly gained Ad-SoS compared to the placebo group (P = 0.01) and Hmean increase was greater in the active than the nonactive group (P < 0.05). Exercise and calcium supplementation had a differential effect on the bone tissue, calcium being rather linked to a systemic effect whereas exercise has acted better onto the skeletal stressed site.

Bone assessment in children with chronic kidney disease: data from two new bone imaging techniques in a single-center pilot study

“…BMA feasibility in children To our knowledge, there are few published data of BMA in children [20]. The standard site to perform BMA is the calcaneus, and one technical limitation could be results' variability after repositioning.…”

Exercise for Bone in Childhood—Hitting the Sweet Spot

“…In a later publication, the authors stated: "Based on these observations, bone appears to be most responsive to mechanical stress during Tanner stages II through IV, corresponding to the two year window that has been identified for peak bone mineral accrual around the time of puberty." (9) In fact, a large number of studies have reported an osteogenic response to exercise in early pubertal children (34,42,55,56,60,61,63,66); in some cases in the absence of effect in pre-pubertal children in the same trial (56,72). A 1997 ten-month study of 71 'pre-menarcheal' girls, who appeared to be Tanner Stages I and II, reported improvements in overall bone outcomes but no maturation-based comparisons were made (66).…”

Calcium and vitamin-D supplementation on bone structural properties in peripubertal female identical twins: a randomised controlled trial

“…A significant, positive effect of calcium supplementation on bone mineral density has been demonstrated in pre-and peripubertal children [5,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Milk products with the addition of protein and phosphorus are also associated with bone density gains in this age group [15].…”