The production of human milk places a considerable demand on the mother's calcium reserves. These reserves are derived from calcium absorbed from dietary sources and calcium stored in the bones. A mother absorbs calcium more efficiently from the diet during breastfeeding so that she will absorb a greater percentage of the dietary calcium available. If there is not enough calcium available in the diet, the extra calcium needed will be drawn from the bones leading to a significant loss of bone density in places like the hips and spine. What is remarkable about lactation is that mothers appear to rebuild strong bone tissue after six months or so of bone loss (assuming again inadequate calcium intake), perhaps even building more bone than was lost (although this last statement is controversial). So, lactating women can still lose bone mass, but, in the long run, lactation is beneficial for bone structure. I hope this short synopsis helps clear up some of the misunderstanding. If Judy Hopkinson is still connected to the list, maybe she could elaborate as she has done quite a bit of reading in this area. Paul Zimmer, Ph.D. Developmental and Clinical Immunology University of Alabama at Birmingham begin 600 WINMAIL.DAT M>)\^(C 1`0:0" `$```````!``$``0>0!@`(````Y 0```````#H``$(@ <` M& ```$E032Y-:6-R;W-O9G0@36%I;"Y.;W1E`#$(`0F `0`A````-#%&14,Q M0T-%,3,X0T8Q,3A%-C@P,# P,# P,# P,#$`X@8!(( #``X```#+!PP`%0`+ M`"H`+0`$`%D!`06 `P`.````RP<,`!4`"P`J`"T`! !9`0$-@ 0``@````(` M`@`!!( !`!H```!#86QC:75M(&%N9"!"<F5A<W1F965D:6YG`&0)`0.0!@!D M!0``$@```$ `.0`PXX6\R\^Z`1X`"! !````90```%1(15!23T150U1)3TY/ M1DA534%.34E,2U!,04-%4T%#3TY3241%4D%"3$5$14U!3D1/3E1(14U/5$A% M4E-#04Q#255-4D5315)615-42$5315)%4T525D5305)%1$52259%1$8````` M`P`F```````+`",```````L`*0```````P`V```````>`' ``0```!H```!# M86QC:75M(&%N9"!"<F5A<W1F965D:6YG`````@%Q``$````6`````;K/R[Q\ MKLX(<3ND$<^.: ```````0```P`&$$7\Z[X#``<0Z ,```,`$! ``````P`1 M$ `````"`0D0`0```/P#``#X`P``^@4``$Q:1G4B\8QU_P`*`0\"%0*D`^0% MZP*#`% W`O,&M *#,@/%`@!C:,$*P'-E=# @!Q,"@/Y]"H (SPG9`H *A LW M$C*!`= @5&AE(' #8"!D=6-T:0(@(&]09B!H=0.";0,0:\L7< M@8P>182 % MH "!NP2!`:!L%V -L .!9!@@G0.@=!=1!& ;$7(G!"%+"K(*@&,'0&-I&' @ MDQ2P$Q!R=@>0+B 7,O\3$!S'&7 4L!IA!1 =(!K KP-2&9 <90&@<P6P8A\& MC1OE9 B0`9!R>2 @(,\(<!E#&K$<5G-T!; ?`=<+@!L#!N!N'3-!&T4?];\$ M(!Q6&^4$8!Z!#<%I'(#Y"?!T;"&P'S,;$B%2&F!9"'%N9R/@%+!A(Q!F7PG@ M(5 HH2 @&P%A!4!S^Q=1`_!L`R @!!EQ&^4)P3LJ`"31< 20&4 ",&%GWQ=@ M&#$GUB&2'X=V"W +8#L:,1U122T#'H$$`"!NQQM@)K OX'5G:!O>+F>+(W8A M4BP;`V5X=!H0_Q]W)! )@!\!*G,@4!I@&A"N=P.@()HCMR :0&$I8_<C(!EQ M`)!G`P`FX0!P!4"_%$ $$1@Q(_(:80"!="&PXR.!&15L:6L78!L2&^5F: 4@ M(C1S< N +N)7SRGR+[$4L # <FL:(P&@[log in to unmask] &0%^,OL2GC&U1]&6%P M+$ *Q37R*< 4L&+^=0,0.[$S4 (@*+$XXA?@OP00"E 9< & )-$`D'@;07T" M,&@X@4*!*< XICA3*/\I`$(`&, HH1OE++ +<2-Q\3;@97%U*_$?=PN `9"] M.F I,M [log in to unmask] LRB2)G-!A!+@`Z!WWRD`&]8X405 1(!L&Q P M0_\;$"^Q"V!*T2,0*_$'@#@AOR^Q&:%!(1T@$P`',2D=4=Q3;S+0/>4HH7<# M<$A1_QOG`Z C$"J".%%)10# !! _,M! L#+!(X440"BA<G7^;DY'/E0@4"00 M)N('0!\@_P6Q&^4XTT$1%\$(<"[@&^7U&^5)&%!O+$!+E"HP%%&](<!Y+^ [ M8"^Q%U!L.V'F8S;!!<!U<"'!!X LYO\8P$(`&K _00&0&K HD2[T41OE2G5D M(;!(5P!K_PN (" ^8U 4&:$D$!?0'P'?-T%1\P0`,L$`P'DTT2HR_06@=4#A M6) ]@1H01G%*&/<J,A+@!"!D..)&0#E@/6'_(^ Y8!@B*.$I8R.#+[$><9)A M5>U085^P(%H'<(4'@'(RT%!H+D15YG9$2#$40'!,DE0A&J)#?SI `P`<42\0 M99!2D!0Q9WIY&^55`P!-<SEQ&#%!/2ZA80# &7 %01OT0FE6<D32$N!M&^5] M;)! ``<P$+A\O,O/N@% ``@P$+A\O,O/N@$#``TT_3\```(!%#0!````$ `` C`%24H< I?Q ;I8<(`"LJ)1<>`#T``0````$`````````%: ! ` end