Abstract
The model rats with postmenopausal osteoporosis were comparatively observed with regard to the effects of bovine ash and calcium phosphate on calcium metabolism. The modelling design involved the five week-old week-old female SD-strain rats ovariectomized and fed a low-Ca diet(20% casein, 0.06% Ca and 0.38% P) for three weeks. The rats were divided into five groups, one of which was fed the low-Ca diet(basal), and the rest of which were divided into five groups, one of which was fed the low-Ca diet(basal), and the rest of which were fed four kinds of Ca-supplemental diets(20% protein, 1.06% Ca and 0.8% P) for three weeks. The Ca-suplements diets contained two kinds of Ca sources, bovine bone ash(BBA) or calcium phosphate, tribasic [Ca3(PO4)2] and two kinds of protein sources, casein or isolated soy protein(ISP). The model rats of postmenopausal osteoporosis fed basal diet showed a significant decrease in Ca utilization in reference to serum Ca concentration, breaking force of bone, Ca and P contents of bone, and Ca absorption and retention. However, the supply of Ca for three weeks demonstrated the improved utilization of Ca. One step further, BBA was more effective than calcium phosphate in improving Ca utilization in ISP-fed groups. On the other hand, no significant difference was seen in casein-fed groups. It is to conclude that BBA could be more effective in accelerating Ca utilization under vulnerable dietary or physiological conditions such as vegetable protein intake and osteoprosis.