The Relationship Between 24-h Urinary Cortisol and Bone in Healthy Young Women

Abstract

Cortisol within the normal range appears to have a minor negative influence on bone density in healthy young women.

High salt intake: detrimental not only for blood pressure, but also for bone health?

“…The proof of such subtle long-term effects does usually require a number of sophisticated methodological efforts regarding sample collection (e.g., 24-h urines), dietary recording (e.g., 3-day weighed dietary records), and specific biomarker and hormone metabolite measurements (e.g., gas chromatographymass spectrometry steroid profiling) which can explain that not every study will uncover corresponding physiological relationships between bone status and moderate elevations of glucocorticoids or other biomarkers. Nonetheless, similar results have been obtained also for healthy young adults [20] as well as elderly [17] showing that even a mild hypercortisolism or -cortisonism may be sufficient to produce detrimental effects on bone health.…”

The association between urinary cortisol excretion and cardiovascular risk factors, bone status and quality of life in the population

“…UFC has previously been found to be associated with decreased bone mineral density in healthy, non-obese young women [16] and increased fracture risk in healthy older people [17]. In another study, UFC in elderly men and women was not associated with bone mineral density or bone loss rate [30].…”

“…An association between high urinary cortisol and adverse cardiovascular profile has been observed in some, but not in other, small studies of selected subjects [12][13][14][15]. Also, cortisol concentration in urine in young women and healthy older men has been associated with decreased bone mineral density and increased fracture risk [16,17]. To our knowledge, the association between urinary cortisol excretion and QoL in the general population has not been studied before.…”

The role of adaptive bone formation in the etiology of stress fracture

“…Psychological stress may promote inflammatory and hormonal insults to bone tissue. 73 In particular, the physically and psychologically demanding nature of military and athletic training has been shown to lead to high levels of inflammatory cytokines and stress hormones such as cortisol. 59,[74][75][76] High levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines and cortisol have been associated with low bone density, altered bone metabolism, and increased fracture risk.…”

“…59,[74][75][76] High levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines and cortisol have been associated with low bone density, altered bone metabolism, and increased fracture risk. 73,[77][78][79] As both physical and psychological stress contribute to a pro-inflammatory state, research is needed to determine the individual contribution of psychological stress to potential reductions in adaptive bone formation.…”