Consumption of caprine milk improves metabolism of calcium and phosphorus in rats with nutritional ferropenic anaemia

This study investigates the effects of consumption of dietary caprine and bovine milk on Ca and P bioavailability, their distribution in different target organs, and parathormone (PTH) and corticosterone levels in rats with induced nutritional ferropenic anaemia (NFA). NFA increased the absorption of Ca and P, while their deposition in the femur was significantly lower, resulting in a significant degree of bone demineralization. Furthermore, anaemia led to an increased concentration in PTH and corticosterone in serum. Dietary caprine milk had a beneficial effect on Ca and P bioavailability in NFA, increasing the digestive and metabolic utilization of these elements and their deposits in the corresponding target organs, especially in the femur, together with lower levels of serum PTH. The opposite effect was observed for bovine milk diet. The consumption of caprine milk appears able to restore, at least in part, the impaired Ca and P metabolism and bone demineralization observed in rats with NFA.