The Study
Dietary Protein Intake and Its Associations With Bone Properties Using Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography and Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry in Endurance-Trained Individuals
This study looked at a group of runners and saw that those who ate more protein from meat and dairy tended to have slightly stronger bones and bigger muscles—but it didn’t change what they ate to see if that caused the difference. So it’s like noticing that people who wear running shoes often run faster—you can’t say the shoes make them faster, just that they often go together.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at runners and triathletes to see if eating more protein, especially from meat and dairy, helps their bones and muscles get stronger.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 544 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The bone and muscle differences were small and likely due to bigger muscles from protein, not protein directly strengthening bones.
- 2People who ate more animal protein had stronger shin bones (SSIp) and bigger calf muscles.
- 3Total protein intake was linked to slightly higher spine bone density, but not to shin bone density or muscle strength.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Current Developments in Nutrition
Year
2025
Authors
Silar Gardy, Ada Sevinc, Jennifer Levee, S. V. Ferreira, Julia-Rose Linardatos, Andrea R. Josse, Tyler A Churchward-Venne, Jenna C. Gibbs
Related Content
Claims (6)
People who consume more dietary protein, including from animal sources, have higher bone mineral density.
In endurance-trained adults, higher total dietary protein intake is linked to greater bone density in the lower spine, explaining about 16% of the variation in bone density after accounting for muscle mass, calcium intake, and physical activity; this link does not exist for bone density in the arms and legs.
In endurance-trained adults, the size of their lean muscle mass accounts for the link between how much protein they eat and the strength of their bones, meaning muscle size has a stronger influence on bone strength than protein intake alone.
Endurance-trained adults who consume more animal protein have larger calf muscle cross-sectional areas, even when accounting for their total lean body mass.
Among endurance-trained adults, consuming more animal-based protein is linked to stronger shin bones at two specific points and larger calf muscles, even when accounting for how much they train and how much calcium they consume.
In adults trained for endurance sports, the total amount of protein consumed does not affect bone density or strength in the shinbone, but it is linked to bone density in the lower spine, showing that protein's effect on bone varies by location.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.