The effect of a low-calcium diet in lactating rats; observations on the rapid development and repair of osteoporosis.

Female rats were given a low-calcium diet (0.05%) during the last three weeks of the lactating period, followed by a normal diet (1.03% calcium) during the first three weeks after lactation. The resulting bone loss and its recovery were studied by means of microradiography, tetracycline-uptake, quantitative estimation of the cortical area of cross-sections from the femoral midshaft, and estimation of total body calcium. The cortical area in the femoral midshaft fell to 46% of its original value during depletion, and then rose to 78% during the first three weeks after weaning. Total body calcium fell from 1.12% to 0.60% of body weight and then increased to 0.89%. Removal of bone occurred mainly in the spongiosa and on the endosteal side of the cortex. Subsequently, new bone was laid down on the endosteal side, but also to some extent on the periosteal side of the cortex. The mineral density of this new bone was low. During the recovery phase resorption cavities within the cortex were filled in a concentric manner as in Haversian remodeling. Neither this feature nor the low mineral density of bone are normally present in the rat.