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 .
Areal and volumetric bone mineral density and geometry at two levels of protein intake during caloric restriction: a randomized, controlled trial.
Weight reduction induces bone loss by several factors , and the effect of higher protein ( HP ) intake during caloric restriction on bone mineral density ( BMD ) is not known . Previous study design s examining the longer-term effects of HP diets have not controlled for total calcium intake between groups and have not examined the relationship between bone and endocrine changes . In this r and omized , controlled study , we examined how BMD ( areal and volumetric ) , turnover markers , and hormones [ insulin-like growth factor 1 ( IGF-1 ) , IGF-binding protein 3 ( IGFBP-3 ) , 25-hydroxyvitamin D , parathyroid hormone ( PTH ) , and estradiol ] respond to caloric restriction during a 1-year trial using two levels of protein intake . Forty-seven postmenopausal women ( 58.0 ± 4.4 years ; body mass index of 32.1 ± 4.6 kg/m(2 ) ) completed the 1-year weight-loss trial and were on a higher ( HP , 24 % , n = 26 ) or normal protein ( NP , 18 % , n = 21 ) and fat intake ( 28 % ) with controlled calcium intake of 1.2 g/d . After 1 year , subjects lost 7.0 % ± 4.5 % of body weight , and protein intake was 86 and 60 g/d in the HP and NP groups , respectively . HP compared with NP diet attenuated loss of BMD at the ultradistal radius , lumbar spine , and total hip and trabecular volumetric BMD and bone mineral content of the tibia . This is consistent with the higher final values of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 and lower bone-resorption marker ( deoxypyridinoline ) in the HP group than in the NP group ( p < .05 ) . These data show that a higher  dietary protein during weight reduction increases serum IGF-1 and attenuates total and trabecular bone loss at certain sites in postmenopausal women
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 .