The real culprit behind the rise in osteoporosis in America may be too much animal protein. Conventional wisdom on osteoporosis is that women aren't getting enough calcium and exercise. While weight-bearing exercise certainly helps prevent osteoporosis, the value of increased calcium intake is surprisingly controversial. Yet, in the United States, where consumption of dairy foods ranks among the highest per capita in the world, women suffer one of the world's highest rates of osteoporosis.
Protein is composed of amino acids, which, when digested, increase the blood's acidity.
Fla. The largest source of protein in the American diet is meat. Unlike dairy, however, meats don't contain much calcium to replace what they remove. A recent University of Florida study involving 150 vegetarian and omnivorous women, aged 45 to 65, found that, compared with omnivores, vegetarians had greater bone density and showed less calcium excretion in their urine. But now you know. All letters to the editor are for publication and may be edited for length and clarity.