September, 2000

High Protein and Phosphorous in Western Diet Does Not
Affect Calcium Absorption

Theory: The high protein and phosphorous content of the typical Western diet could contribute to poor calcium absorption, thus aggravating the problems of calcium deficiency and osteoporosis. Dr. Robert Heaney analyzed a large body of observational studies of calcium absorption efficiency in 191 nuns. The subjects entered the study in 1967 and were evaluated 1 to 5 times at 5 year intervals over 32 years. At each evaluation period subjects were fed duplicate weighed diets and calcium absorption was estimated using the double-tracer method. A statistical analysis of the full set of 567 observations showed no relation between relative calcium absorption and either phosphorous or protein intake.

Heaney, Robert P. Dietary protein and phosphorous do not affect calcium absorption. Am J Clin Nut 2000;72:758-61.