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Bicarbonate from mineral water lowers bone resorption even in calcium sufficiency

2007; Elsevier BV; Volume: 1297; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.ics.2006.09.001

1873-6157

E. Wynn Dumartheray, M. A. Krieg, P. Burckhardt,

Diet and metabolism studies

A normal diet produces a daily acid charge to the organism which contributes to bone loss. Studies have documented a decrease in bone resorption after introducing bicarbonate or an alkali diet. The aim of our study was to assess the effect on bone markers of a daily intake of bicarbonate- and calcium-rich mineral water compared to that of a calcium-rich water, in young women on a relatively high calcium intake. This open controlled study compared two mineral waters, one rich in calcium (Water A, Adelbodner, Switzerland: 520 Ca mg/l, 291 HCO3− mg/l) and the other rich in calcium and bicarbonate (Water B, Kryniczanka, Poland: 547 Ca mg/l, 2172 HCO3− mg/l). Concentration of other minerals was very similar. Thirty young female dieticians (aged ± 26.3, BMI ± 20.9) were randomized into two equal groups, followed an identical weighed, balanced daily diet plan (1875 kcal, 965 mg Ca, 75 g proteins), and drank 1.5 l of the randomly assigned mineral water. The follow-up period was 2 and 4 weeks with laboratory examinations including blood and urine electrolytes etc. at baseline and after 2 and 4 weeks. In addition, urinary pH and bicarbonate, S-PTH and S-C-telopeptides (CTX) were measured after 12 h fasting. We present here some of the 4-week data. There was no significant difference between the two groups for the different assessed variables at baseline. The urinary pH remained stable under Water A. It increased from 5.5 to 6.2 (p = 0.004) under Water B. S-PTH (p = 0.022) and S-C-telopeptides (p = 0.024) decreased significantly under Water B, not under Water A. Even on a relatively high calcium intake (1745 mg/day including the mineral water), drinking a mineral water rich in bicarbonate led to a decrease by 16% of PTH and by 15% of bone resorption (CTX) in a sample of healthy young women. This could be of major interest for long-term prevention of bone loss and osteoporosis.