Correlates of intestinal calcium absorption in women 10 years past the menopause.

Because intestinal calcium absorption may be an important independent determinant of calcium balance and therefore bone mass, we have studied this factor and other potential predictors in 196 healthy postmenopausal women. Gut calcium absorption was measured in each subject by a stable strontium method and expressed as a fractional absorption. The fractional absorption was significantly negatively correlated with years since menopause (YSM) (r = -0.15 P < 0.05) and dietary calcium intake (r = -0.15 P < 0.05), and significantly positively correlated with 24-hour urine calcium excretion (r = 0.31 P < 0.001) and body mass index (r = 0.20 P < 0.01). Apart from YSM, these factors remained as correlates in multiple regression analysis; the standardized regression coefficient was largest for 24-hour urine calcium excretion (0.32). Fractional absorption of calcium was not correlated with vertebral bone density. Thus, intestinal calcium absorption, although falling with increasing menopausal age and increasing calcium intake, is best correlated with the urine calcium excretion. This indicates either that gut calcium absorption is regulated in response to the magnitude of the urine calcium excretion or that the kidney maintains calcium balance by excreting what is absorbed by the intestine. The mechanisms whereby gut and renal calcium handling are correlated are uncertain.