Nitrate use and changes in bone mineral density: the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study

UNLABELLED: Nitrates may have beneficial effects on bone. To determine if nitrates were associated with increased bone mineral density (BMD), we conducted a secondary analysis using data from subjects in a prospective study. Subjects reporting nitrate use had increased BMD compared with non-users, confirming that nitrates have positive BMD effects in women and men.

Prior studies suggest positive associations between nitrates and bone.

We used linear regression models, stratified by gender and adjusted for age, weight, and baseline differences, to determine the association between daily nitrate use and BMD among subjects participating in the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study. All results are reported as annualised percent change in BMD at the hip and spine among nitrate users compared to non-users.

We included 1,419 men (71 reported daily nitrate use) and 2,587 women (97 reported daily nitrate use). Male non-users had decreased hip BMD (-1.3%; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] = -1.6 to -1.1) and increased spine BMD (2.8%; 95%CI = 2.5 to 3.1). Male nitrate users had increased hip BMD (1.4%; 95%CI = 0.1 to 2.8) and spine BMD (4.5%; 95%CI = 3.2 to 5.7). Among women, non-users had decreased hip BMD (-1.9; 95%CI = -2.1 to -1.7) and increased spine BMD (2.1%; 95%CI = 1.9 to 2.4) whilst users had an increase in hip BMD (2.0%; 95%CI = 1.2 to 2.8) and spine BMD (4.1%; 95%CI = 3.4 to 4.9).

Nitrate use is associated with increased BMD at the hip and spine in men and women.