Dairy Better for Bones than Calcium Carbonate

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.— Dairy has an advantage over calcium carbonate in promoting bone growth and strength, according to a new Purdue University study that will be published in the August issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

Connie Weaver, distinguished professor and head of the food and nutrition department, found that the bones of rats fed nonfat dry milk were longer, wider, more dense and stronger than those of rats fed a diet with calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is the most common form of calcium used in calcium-fortified foods and supplements.

The study, funded by the National Dairy Council, is the first direct comparison of bone properties between calcium from supplements and milk.