Field Notes

Dairy, Protein Improves Bone Health in Obese Women Dieters

A recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that the consumption of dairy foods and a higher protein intake resulted in improvements in markers of bone formation and reductions in markers of bone degradation in overweight and obese young women over 16 weeks of diet- and exercise-induced weight loss.

Previous studies have shown that higher body weight is associated with greater bone mass and that weight loss through dieting can adversely affect bone health. While the individual effects of dairy, calcium, protein, and exercise on bone during weight loss have been studied in premenopausal women, no previous trial has combined all these strategies together into one study to support bone health.

“Our findings show that a diet with a high proportion of dairy foods and higher-than-recommended protein intake was associated with improved markers for bone health,” says Stuart Phillips, PhD, of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and senior study author. “Thus, to avoid deleterious consequences to their bone health, women who are attempting weight loss through dieting should practice consumption of more protein from dairy sources.”

In this study, researchers conducted a controlled randomized intervention trial involving 90 premenopausal overweight or obese women that was designed to achieve weight loss and be supportive of bone health. Phillips and his colleagues employed modest dietary calorie restriction and daily exercise, including aerobic and resistance training with varied intakes of protein and dairy foods. Researchers used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans to assess bone mineral density and content and analyzed participants’ urine and blood samples to evaluate serum levels of several bone health biomarkers.

Results from the study showed that the consumption of diets higher in protein with an emphasis on dairy foods during a diet and exercise period positively affected markers of bone turnover, calcium, vitamin D status, and bone metabolism in overweight and obese premenopausal women.

“Our data provide a good rationale to recommend consumption of dairy foods to aid in high-quality weight loss, which we define as loss of fat as opposed to muscle, and the promotion of bone health in young women who are at the age when achieving and maintaining peak bone mass is of great importance,” says Phillips.

— Source: The Endocrine Society

 

Omega-3s May Reduce Breast Cancer Treatment Side Effects

Oncologists often hear from patients taking aromatase inhibitors that the medications make their joints achy and stiff. Aromatase inhibitors reduce circulating estrogen levels and lead to fewer breast cancer recurrences. Maryam Lustberg, MD, MPH, an assistant professor at the Ohio state College of Medicine, knew the pain made some of her patients less compliant, possibly giving the cancer a foothold.

 “Up to a third of my patients were reporting joint symptoms on aromatase-inhibitor therapy, which was impacting their quality of life, and some had to stop taking the medication,” Lustberg says.

Lustberg attended a seminar where she met Tonya Orchard, PhD, RD, LD, who was working on a study with postmenopausal women and the consumption of fatty acids, a nutrient that also had been linked to reducing joint pain related to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

“Dr. Lustberg approached me with what she was seeing in her clinic, and we quickly became excited about the prospect of working together to address the problem,” recalls Orchard, now a visiting assistant professor in the department of nutrition at Ohio State. “We put together a grant proposal and the Cancer and Leukemia Group B awarded us pilot funding to see if omega-3s could help women taking these estrogen-blocking drugs.”

Additionally, in the Women’s Health Initiative working group at Ohio State, Lustberg and Orchard are collaborating with neuroscientist Courtney DeVries, PhD, to investigate the effects of omega-3 supplementation on cognitive symptoms associated with chemotherapy. As many as one-third of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy will experience problems with memory and verbal fluency, but these women’s health researchers believe that the anti-inflammatory properties of fatty acids may provide a solution.

“Fatty acids are present in every cell of the body. They alter the production of signaling hormones and how cells communicate with each other in ways that may impact inflammation,” Orchard says. “Omega-3 supplementation has been shown to be safe during chemotherapy and may offer solutions to multiple issues associated with cancer therapies where inflammation may be involved.”

For omega-3-rich recipes perfect for the holidays created by Orchard, visit www.netwellness.org.

— Source: Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science