Osteoporosis and calcium deficiency

The influence of age on the intestinal absorption of 47-Ca absorption in post-menopausal osteoporosis.

“…Figure 3 illustrates the necessity for concomitant age-matched control studies during an analysis of 47Ca absorption in osteoporosis, since a significant decrease in 47Ca absorption is apparent when an elderly osteoporotic population is compared to a younger control group. The normal patterns of 47Ca absorption observed in the osteoporotic females and the strikingly similar unabsorbed 47Ca content of 12-day cumulative fecal collection in both osteoporotic and age-matched control subjects (Tables I and II) The observed poor correlation between dietary and urinary calcium in osteoporotic patients and elderly nonosteoporotic controls (Tables I and II) during periods of low calcium intake confirms previous observations of Nordin (9,32) and Whedon (33). In the present study, however, no significant increments in urinary calcium were observed in the osteoporotic group when compared to their age-matched controls.…”

The Problem of Osteoporosis

“…It is therefore time that the pathogenesis of osteoporosis was re considered. As we have reported elsewhere (Nordin, 1960b), nega tive nitrogen balance does not appear to produce osteoporosis in animals, but negative calcium balance most certainly does. Recent animal work, and in particular the work of Carlsson and Lindquist (1955), has demonstrated that vitamin D has other actions besides the promotion of calcium absorption and that vitamin D deficiency could therefore produce different effects upon the skeleton.…”

50 Years Ago in CORR: Osteomalacia, Osteoporosis, and Calcium Deficiency B.E.C. Nordin, MD, MRCP, PhD 1960;17:235-258

“…However, do they mean the same thing?… there are many aspects of bone quality that vary in importance and scope with the person providing the definition'' while Paschalis et al [6] suggest, ''Bone quality encompasses the structural and material properties of bone.' ' Nordin [5] explored another aspect of bone quality: calcium content, particularly its relationship to bone strength. He, as others, found a wide range of dietary ''calcium requirements'' for individuals to maintain a balance of intake and excretion (Fig.…”