Early-life Calcium Affects Later-life Osteoporosis & Obesity Risk

Programming of bone cells early in life may depend on the calcium status of the mother during nursing.  A new study suggests that a lack of calcium in this critical phase of development¹ may lead to bone cells more inclined to make fat cells, in turn increasing the risk for obesity.

This new research was done with pigs, as their bone metabolism is similar to humans in a number of ways and pigs are one of the few animals that develop bone fractures as they age. 

Bones themselves are a major birthplace for many cells in your body, in addition to their common role as your skeletal framework.  Bone stem cells can become many different types of cells depending on their programming early in life. 

By lowering calcium intake for 18 days in newborn pigs their bone density was markedly impaired.  Interestingly, cells that should have become bone cells were instead programmed to become fat cells.

“While the importance of calcium nutrition throughout childhood and adolescence is well-recognized, our work suggests that calcium nutrition of the neonate may be of greater importance to lifelong bone health, due to its programming effects on mesenchymal stem cells,” said lead author Dr. Chad Stahl.  “For me, the biggest message is that calcium nutrition, or mineral nutrition as a whole, needs to be a priority from day one. Early life nutrition is setting children up physiologically for the rest of their lives.”

Nursing mothers should take note as their calcium may be depleted from the demands of growing another body during pregnancy.  Ensuring adequate calcium intake during pregnancy and nursing is essential to the health of both mother and child and may influence your child’s health for years to come.