May is Osteoporosis Awareness month, so I thought I would share some new research in the field of bone health and nutrition.

For decades, there has been controversy regarding whether a diet rich in protein is good for bone or detrimental to bone. Colleagues of mine at Tufts, Drs. Dawson-Hughes and Harris, just published a study that goes a long way to clear up the controversy. The study was published in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The scientists studied the association between protein intake and change in bone mineral density in a group of women and men aged 65 and older. Half of the women and men received a calcium/vitamin D supplement and the other half received a placebo pill.

The results of the study demonstrated that the women and men who had a diet rich in protein had the most favorable bone density change over 3 years. What is interesting is that this beneficial effect was only seen in the group that received the calcium/vitamin D supplement. Those individuals who did not supplement with calcium and vitamin D did not receive a benefit from the protein. In fact, this group had an increase in fractures over the three-year study period.

How much protein should you take in to receive this benefit? In this study, the women and men who benefited most were those who’s protein intake averaged about 20% of calories - or approximately 87 grams of protein a day (please see the Q and A section below for guidance on getting this much protein in your diet).

Can a person have too much protein in their diet? Absolutely! Numerous studies have shown that a high protein diet (over 30% of calories) is detrimental to bones. So, make sure that you take your calcium and vitamin D supplement and get a diet that is rich in protein.

I wish you all strong bones for life!