Effect of calcium rich milk consumption on bone loss in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases

Introduction: Osteopenia or osteoporosis is an extraintestinal complication of IBD occuring in as may as 30–77% of patients. Milk is recommended as an excellent calcium source for normal bone mineral density. Moreover, milk is considered to contain other components effective for bone health.

Objective: Our aim was the evaluation of effect the calcium rich milk on osteoporosis and osteopenia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Patients and methods: 12 out patients and 12 control with IBD were consecutivety included in the study. The mean age was 37,5 year, with a range of 20–55 year. At baseline we mesured the BMD by means of DXA. We determined the following laboratory parameters: serum calcium, phosphous. albumin, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, serum parathyroid hormone, osteocalcin. In urine specimens the pyridinoline cross lap reaction was determined. The milk supplementation group took 0,5 l of high calcium (700mg/day) low fat (1,5%) milk every day and a standard diet. The control group took a standard diet and they used different antiosteoporotic drugs. We followed up all study subjects for 3 months duration and we repeated the laboratory examination and DXA.

Result: We observed that in the 3 months of the study milk supplementation resulted in a reduction in bone loss by more than 17% in patients (p<0,01) meanwhile the DXA dosn't changed in both group. PTH decreased more than 18% (p<0,01) osteocalcin decreased more than 20% (p<0,01) in milk supplementation group.

We conclude that supplementing the diet of patients with high calcium milk can retard bone loss in IBD patients. Dairy products are by for the most important source of calcium in the dietary treatment of different osteoporotic patients.