Commentary 10.1172/JCI130640

The puzzle of lactational bone physiology: osteocytes masquerade as osteoclasts and osteoblasts

Brittany A. Ryan and Christopher S. Kovacs

Faculty of Medicine, Endocrinology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Health Sciences Centre, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Address correspondence to: Christopher Kovacs, Health Sciences Centre, 300 Prince Philip Drive, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6 Canada. Phone: 709.864.3847; Email: ckovacs@mun.ca.

Find articles by Ryan, B. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar

Faculty of Medicine, Endocrinology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Health Sciences Centre, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Address correspondence to: Christopher Kovacs, Health Sciences Centre, 300 Prince Philip Drive, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6 Canada. Phone: 709.864.3847; Email: ckovacs@mun.ca.

Find articles by Kovacs, C. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar |

First published June 24, 2019 - More info

J Clin Invest. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI130640.
© 2019 American Society for Clinical Investigation
First published June 24, 2019 - Version history

Lactation is a unique period in which the maternal skeleton acts as a storehouse to provide substantial calcium to milk. Women who exclusively breastfeed lose an average of 210 mg of calcium per day, which doubles or triples with twins and triplets. Data from rodent and clinical studies are consistent with skeletal calcium being released to provide much of the calcium needed for milk production. This is programmed to occur independently of dietary calcium intake or intestinal calcium absorption, which remains at the prepregnant rate in breastfeeding women. After weaning, the skeleton is restored to its prior mineralization and strength, but the factors that regulate this remain to be elucidated.

Preview pages

Reset
Next Page 0 Back

Continue reading with a subscription.

A subscription is required for you to read this article in full. If you are a subscriber, you may sign in to continue reading.

Already subscribed?

Click here to sign into your account.

Don't have a subscription?

Please select one of the subscription options, which includes a low-cost option just for this article.

At an institution or library?

If you are at an institution or library and believe you should have access, please check with your librarian or administrator (more information).

Problems?

Please try these troubleshooting tips.

  • Purchase this article
  • $10
  • Purchasing this article will give you full access for the calendar year.
  • Purchase article
  • Purchase Site Pass
  • $25
  • This will give you access to every article on the site for 24 hours.
  • Order site pass
  • Online subscription
  • $95
  • Individual online subscriptions give you full online access for the calendar year.
  • Order Online
  • Print subscription
  • $795
  • Individual print subscriptions give you the print journal and full online access for the year.
  • Print + Online
  • JCI This Month subscription
  • $125
  • JCI This Month is a 16- to 20-page overview of the articles published each month
  • Subscribing to JCI This Month also gives subscribers full online access for the calendar year.
  • *Price outside U.S. and Canada: $225.
  • JCI This Month + Online
Advertisement