In older people with osteoporosis , higher protein intake ( ≥ 0.8-g/kg body weight/day , i.e. , above the current RDA ) is associated with higher BMD , a slower rate of bone loss , and reduced risk of hip fracture , provided that dietary calcium intakes are adequate .
Intervention with dietary protein supplements attenuate age-related BMD decrease and reduce bone turnover marker levels , together with an increase in IGF-I and a decrease in PTH .
There is no evidence that diet-derived acid load is deleterious for bone health .
Thus , insufficient dietary protein intakes may be a more severe problem than protein excess in the elderly .
A summary of systematic review s and meta-analyses addressing the benefits and risks of dietary protein intakes  for  bone health in adults suggests that dietary protein levels even above the current RDA may be beneficial in reducing bone loss and hip fracture risk , provided calcium intakes are adequate .
Several systematic review s and meta-analyses have addressed the benefits and risks of dietary protein intakes for bone health in adults .
Adequate supplies of dietary protein are required for optimal bone growth and maintenance of healthy bone .
Variation in protein intakes within the “ normal ” range accounts for 2–4 % of BMD variance in adults .
Dietary protein intake and risk of osteoporotic hip fracture in elderly residents of Utah.
UNLABELLED The role of protein intake in osteoporosis is unclear . In a case-control study in Utah ( n = 2501 ) , increasing level of protein intake was associated with a decreased risk of hip fracture in men and women 50 - 69 years of age but not in those 70 - 89 years of age . Protein intake may be important for optimal bone health . INTRODUCTION Protein is an important component of bone , but the role of dietary protein intake in osteoporosis and fracture risk remains controversial . MATERIAL AND METHODS The role of dietary protein intake in osteoporotic hip fracture was evaluated in a statewide case-control study in Utah . Patients , 50 - 89 years of age , with hip fracture ( cases ) were ascertained through surveillance of 18 Utah hospitals during 1997 - 2001 . Age- and gender-matched controls were r and omly selected . Participants were interviewed in their place of residence , and diet was assessed using a picture-sort food frequency question naire previously reported to give a useful measure of usual dietary intake in the elderly Utah population . The association between  protein intake  and risk of hip fracture was examined across quartiles of protein intake and stratified by age group for 1167 cases ( 831 women , 336 men ) and 1334 controls ( 885 women , 449 men ) . RESULTS In logistic regression analyses that controlled for gender , body mass index , smoking status , alcohol use , calcium , vitamin D , potassium , physical activity , and estrogen use in women , the odds ratios ( OR ) of hip fracture decreased across increasing quartiles of total protein intake for participants 50 - 69 years of age ( OR : 1.0 [ reference ] ; 0.51 [ 95 % CI : 0.30 - 0.87 ] ; 0.53 [ 0.31 - 0.89 ] ; 0.35 [ 0.21 - 0.59 ] ; p < 0.001 ) . No similar associations were observed among participants 70 - 89 years of age . Results from analyses stratified by low and high calcium and potassium intake did not differ appreciably from the results presented above . CONCLUSION Higher total protein intake was associated with a reduced risk of hip fracture in men and women 50 - 69 years of age but not in men and women 70 - 89 years of age . The association between  dietary protein intake  and risk of hip fracture may be modified by age . Our study supports the hypothesis that adequate dietary protein is important for optimal bone health in the elderly 50 - 69 years of age
In older people with osteoporosis , higher protein intake ( ≥ 0.8-g/kg body weight/day , i.e. , above the current RDA ) is associated with higher BMD , a slower rate of bone loss , and reduced risk of hip fracture , provided that dietary calcium intakes are adequate .
Intervention with dietary protein supplements attenuate age-related BMD decrease and reduce bone turnover marker levels , together with an increase in IGF-I and a decrease in PTH .
There is no evidence that diet-derived acid load is deleterious for bone health .
Thus , insufficient dietary protein intakes may be a more severe problem than protein excess in the elderly .
A summary of systematic review s and meta-analyses addressing the benefits and risks of dietary protein intakes  for  bone health in adults suggests that dietary protein levels even above the current RDA may be beneficial in reducing bone loss and hip fracture risk , provided calcium intakes are adequate .
Several systematic review s and meta-analyses have addressed the benefits and risks of dietary protein intakes for bone health in adults .
Adequate supplies of dietary protein are required for optimal bone growth and maintenance of healthy bone .
Variation in protein intakes within the “ normal ” range accounts for 2–4 % of BMD variance in adults .