The effect of high calcium vitamin D fortified milk drink on biochemical markers of bone turnover, vitamin D levels and parathyroid hormone levels in post-menopausal Chinese women.

INTERVENTION: Two glasses of milk (2x200ml) providing in total 900 mg calcium, 96 mg magnesium, 2.4 mg zinc and 6.4 microgram vit D to be consumed per day for 12 weeks. CONDITION: Bone loss PRIMARY OUTCOME: Plasma Parathyroid Hormone levels analysed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay using the Roche COBAS e411 system (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN, USA). Serum 25 (OH) D3 levels; analysed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay using the Roche COBAS e411 system (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN, USA). serum C telopeptide of Type I collagen levels; analysed using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay using the Roche COBAS e411 system (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN, USA). SECONDARY OUTCOME: Plasma lipid levels; routine clinical laboratory analysis. Serum Interleukin 6 levels; R&D systems duoassay ELISA kits. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Chinese women are to be recruited. 1. Subject is willing and able to provide written informed consent. 2. Ambulatory women who are at least 5 years postmenopausal defined as a cessation of menstruation, either due to spontaneous amenorrhea or surgical bi‐lateral oorphorectomy. 3. Bone mineral density (BMD) higher than a T‐score of ‐2.5 at both the total hip and spine (ie higher than 0.94 g/cm2 at the lumbar spine and 0.756 g/cm2 at the total hip) according to the GE lunar dual‐X‐Ray densitometry machine. 4. A Body Mass Index (BMI) of between 17 and 30.