Dietary-induced metabolic acidosis decreases bone mineral density in mature ovariectomized ewes

Dietary-induced metabolic acidosis (DIMA) may be a significant confounder in the development of osteoporosis. Diets that are acidifying are typically rich in proteins and grains and relatively poor in fruits and vegetables. Previous studies have not examined whether an interaction between estrogen depletion and DIMA have a compounded affect on bone mineral density loss. Sheep have been used successfully in previous studies to examine the interaction of bone turnover and ovariectomy. Therefore, the goal of this pilot study was to determine if bone mineral density (BMD) loss could be induced using DIMA in skeletally mature ovariectomized (OVX) ewes.