Cleo is diagnosed with osteoporosis. Which electrolytes are involved in the development of this disorder?
A. Calcium and sodium
B. Calcium and phosphorous
C. Phosphorus and potassium
D. Potassium and sodium
Correct Answer: B. Calcium and phosphorous
In osteoporosis, bones lose calcium and phosphate salts, becoming porous, brittle, and abnormally vulnerable to fracture.
Option A: Sodium increases calcium excretion and higher calcium excretion is associated with lower bone mineral density, a predictor of osteoporotic fractures.
Option C: Potassium is not involved in osteoporosis. Potassium salts aid in bone health. A study, published in the journal Osteoporosis International, also revealed that high intake of potassium salts significantly reduces the excretion of calcium and acid in urine.
Option D: Sodium, in the form of sodium chloride, elevates urinary calcium excretion and, at prevailing calcium intakes, evokes compensatory responses that may lead to increased bone remodeling and bone loss. However, potassium was inversely associated with both urinary calcium excretion and intestinal calcium absorption, yielding no significant net change in calcium balance.