Calcium bioavailability from bovine milk and dairy products in premenopausal women using intrinsic and extrinsic labeling techniques.

Stable isotopes were used to compare calcium fractional absorption from intrinsically and extrinsically labeled bovine milk as well as intrinsically labeled dairy product and cheese analogue. Healthy Caucasian women were fed a controlled diet for 4 d during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle. With breakfast on the third day, participants ingested milk containing 44Ca (intrinsic) and 42CaCl2 (extrinsic) or dairy products containing 44Ca. Total feces were collected for 2 d prior to and 10 d after isotope ingestion. Polyethylene glycol was administered to monitor completeness of fecal collections. Total calcium was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and isotopic abundance was determined by high resolution fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. Fractional absorption was determined as the difference between the administered isotopic dose and the quantity of 44Ca or 42Ca excreted in feces. The fractional absorption of calcium from milk was not affected by the method of labeling, lactose content, fermentation or the chemical form of calcium in dairy products or cheese analogue.