ARS | Publication request: Calcium absorption in infants and small children: Methods of determination and recent findings

Submitted to: Nutrients
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: April 2, 2010
Publication Date: April 6, 2010
Citation: Abrams, S.A. 2010. Calcium absorption in infants and small children: Methods of determination and recent findings. Nutrients. 2(4):474-480.

Technical Abstract: Determining calcium bioavailability is important in establishing dietary calcium requirements. In infants and small children, previously conducted mass balance studies have largely been replaced by stable isotope-based studies. The ability to assess calcium absorption using a relatively short 24-hour urine collection without the need for multiple blood samples, or fecal collections is a major advantage to this technique. The results of these studies have demonstrated relatively small differences in calcium absorption efficiency between human milk and currently available cow milk-based infant formulas. In older children with a calcium intake typical of Western diets, calcium absorption is adequate to meet bone mineral accretion requirements.