Too Much Meat Risks Bone Health Warning to older people to balance diet Meat and cheese both provide concentrated sources of protein, but older women who get most of their protein from these foods put themselves at increased risk for bone loss and fractures. Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco say women don't need to give up meat and cheese, but they should eat more vegetables and fruit. A simple bit of chemistry may explain why vegetables protect against bone loss.
Animal products contain acids or produce acids in the body when they are metabolized.
Younger people eliminate these acids in their urine. With age, however, the kidneys become less efficient and more acids accumulate, so the body takes calcium from the bones to neutralize the acids. Plants have acids, too, but they also have a chemical known as a bicarbonate that buffers the acids. The BBC News describes the effect that a diet high in animal protein has on women's bone mass. Previous HealthScout stories add that older women can boost their bone mass through athletic training and by taking low-dose estrogen supplements .