Early life vitamin D depletion alters the postnatal response to skeletal loading in growing and mature bone.

ABSTRACT: There is increasing evidence of persistent effects of early life vitamin D exposure on later skeletal health; linking low levels in early life to smaller bone size in childhood as well as increased fracture risk later in adulthood, independently of later vitamin D status. A major determinant of bone mass acquisition across all ages is mechanical loading. We tested the hypothesis in an animal model system that early life vitamin D depletion results in abrogation of the response to mechanical loading, with consequent reduction in bone size, mass and strength during both childhood and adulthood. A murine model was created in which pregnant dams were either vitamin D deficient or replete, and their offspring moved to a vitamin D replete diet at weaning. Tibias of the offspring were mechanicall

SUBMITTER: Borg SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5784894 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature