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Effect of high vegetable protein diets on urinary calcium loss in middle-aged men and women

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 57, pages 376–382 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of high-protein diets, which have recently been promoted for their health benefits, on urinary calcium losses and bone turnover in older subjects.

Design: Randomized controlled cross-over study.

Setting: Teaching hospital and university.

Subjects: Twenty hyperlipidemic men and postmenopausal women (age 56±2 y) completed the study.

Interventions: One-month test and control phases during which subjects consumed equi-energy metabolic diets high in calcium (1578 and 1593 mg/day, respectively). On the test diet 11% of total dietary energy from starch in the control bread was replaced by protein (wheat gluten), resulting in 27% of energy from protein on the test diet vs 16% on the control diet.

Main outcome measure: Urinary calcium excretion.

Results: Compared with the control diet, at week 4, the test diet increased mean (±s.e.m.) 24 h urinary output of calcium (139±15 vs 227±21 mg, P=0.004). The treatment difference in urinary calcium loss correlated with the serum anion gap as a marker of metabolic acid production (r=0.57, P=0.011). Serum calcium levels were marginally lower 2.41±0.02 vs 2.38±0.02 mmol/l (P=0.075), but there was no significant treatment difference in calcium balance, possibly related to the high background calcium intake on both diets.

Conclusions: In the presence of high dietary calcium intakes the vegetable protein gluten does not appear to have a negative effect on calcium balance despite increased urinary calcium loss.

Sponsorship: The University-Industry Research Partnership Program of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Loblaw Brands Limited, Toronto, ON, and Kraft Canada Inc. Don Mills, ON. DJAJ is funded as a Canada Research Chair in Metabolism and Nutrition at the University of Toronto by the Federal Government of Canada, Ottawa.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Loblaw Brands Ltd, Toronto, ON; Kraft Canada Inc., Don Mills, ON; and Bestfoods Canada Inc., Etobicoke, ON for the generous donation of foods used in this study. We would also like to thank Robert Chenaux and Larry C Griffin of Loblaw Brands Ltd; Dr Steven Hill and Dr Margaret Martini, Kraft Foods, Glenview, IL; Dr Ron M Knight and Ms Dayle Sunohara of Kraft Canada Inc.; and Kathy Galbraith of Natural Temptations Bakery, Burlington, ONI, for their assistance on this project. Thanks are also extended to Yu-Min Li and George Koumbridis who provided excellent technical assistance.

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Author notes

  1. D J A Jenkins: Guarantor: DJA Jenkins.

  2. D J A Jenkins, C W C Kendall, E Vidgen, L S A Augustin, T Parker, D Faulkner, R Vieth, A C Vandenbroucke and R G Josse: Contributors: DJAJ and CWCK contributed to the study's conception and design and obtaining of funding. LSAA, TP, DF, RV, ACV and RGJ contributed to the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data. EV contributed statistical expertise. DJAJ and CWCK drafted the manuscript. All authors provided critical revisions of the manuscript for important intellectual content.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    D J A Jenkins, C W C Kendall, E Vidgen, L S A Augustin, T Parker, D Faulkner & R G Josse

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    D J A Jenkins & R G Josse

  3. Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    D J A Jenkins, C W C Kendall, E Vidgen & L S A Augustin

  4. Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    R Vieth & A C Vandenbroucke

  5. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Biochemistry, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    A C Vandenbroucke

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Correspondence to D J A Jenkins.

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Jenkins, D., Kendall, C., Vidgen, E. et al. Effect of high vegetable protein diets on urinary calcium loss in middle-aged men and women. Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 376–382 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601530

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601530

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