27/02/2026
Did you know skipping breakfast can accelerate bone loss and increase your risk of osteoporosis?
If you want to know the science behind the mechanism of bone loss:
Circadian Rhythm: Parathyroid (PTH) levels naturally peak in the early morning.
Fasting Effect: Without food intake (breakfast), calcium levels in the blood drop, prompting the parathyroid glands to produce more PTH.
Bone Resorption: Elevated PTH stimulates osteoclasts (bone-breaking cells) to release calcium from the bones, leading to higher rates of bone resorption, especially in the early morning.
Impact of Skipping Breakfast: Studies indicate that skipping breakfast (or prolonged overnight fasting) prevents the suppression of these morning PTH levels, which may increase the risk of lower bone mineral density.
The research also showed having late night dinners as well as skipping breakfast resulted in a further 23% increase in bone loss and risk of osteoporosis.